Seerheingeister Konstanz

Seerheingeister Konstanz e.V. is a local carnival association founded in 2018, dedicated to celebrating and keeping regional traditions alive. The group draws on the legend of the Seerhein Geist, a figure said to rise from the river when winter ice forms. Its story recalls people who were persecuted as heretics, pagans, or free thinkers and cast into the Rhine; the spirit’s return serves as a reminder not to forget the deeds of earlier generations.

During the fifth season, the Seerheingeister bring this folklore into the streets of Konstanz. Rather than following a fixed schedule, members join the carnival festivities from Schmutziger Donnerstag until the spirit’s burning or symbolic return to the Rhine. They mingle with the public at processions and can also be encountered in streets, pubs, and cellars, using a deliberately eerie appearance to startle and entertain. The association invites people to embrace the festivities without fear and join in the traditional “Ho Narro” greeting.