Shrove Tuesday in Germany

Shrove Tuesday (also known as Carnival Tuesday) is the name given to the last of the Carnival days, the day after Rose Monday. As the last day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday, it often has a special significance in tradition. In some regions where carnival is celebrated, it is the highlight of the festivities. Internationally, this day is also known as Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday") or "Shrove" or "Pancake (Tues)day".

There are several customs that end the carnival at midnight on the night of Ash Wednesday. These include the burning of the Nubbel and the symbolic burial of the carnival.

In many places, there are also traditional carnival parades on this day. The largest takes place in Mönchengladbach on the Lower Rhine under the name Veilchendienstagszug. In Cologne and surrounding towns, carnival parades have been established in the neighborhoods and suburbs since the 1960s, often using the floats and troops of local clubs and schools from the Sunday Schull- un Veedelszöch or the Rose Monday parade.