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In Germany, Some Want to Boogie Every Day of the Year
Ban on Dancing on Good Friday Draws Protests; Conga Line in Cologne
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By LAURA STEVENS
In Germany there is a centuries-old rule on
Good Friday called Tanzverbot. Translation: Dancing is forbidden. In the
past few years, thousands have gathered across the country on Good
Friday to protest the ban. WSJ's Laura Stevens reports.
The decades old "Tanzverbot," or dance ban, applies to all clubs, discos and other forms of organized dancing in all German states.
In a country that takes pride in its disco traditions—immortalized by Mike Myers's Dieter character in Saturday Night Live's "Sprockets" sketch—the ban has begun to chafe.
At a rally in the center of Frankfurt on Thursday, a couple dozen protesters gathered to call for an end to the ban. The rally's slogan: "I'll let you pray—you let me dance."
Political activists, pirates and a person in a hot-pink bunny costume were all in attendance as observers stopped by booths set up with information in the busy shopping district.
The Tanzverbot "severely limits the rights of those who are either atheists or who believe in other religions," said Horst Weintraut, a member of the Pirate Party who was dressed in a black cloak and hat. "When someone is dancing Friday evening in a club in the basement, that doesn't disturb any Christians who are praying or doing something in the church during the day."
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Protesters of the historic dance ban blew bubbles and danced on Good Friday last year in Frankfurt.
On Good Friday last year in the largely Catholic city of Cologne, around 150 dancers wearing headphones bopped silently in the shadow of the city's towering cathedral. A conga line formed as police stood by to keep order.
Those who support the law contend that a sacred day for reflection isn't asking too much.
"They can dance on 364 days a year," said Lars Witteck, the district president of the town of Giessen. "We cannot just forget our history. We have certain types of laws that show the respect to our tradition."
Germany has a rich Christian tradition, from Martin Luther to Pope Benedict XVI. Yet much like the rest of Europe, German society is increasingly secular and a dwindling number of people regularly attend church services.
Dieter
The Tanzverbot was first established by the church and was later adopted by many city governments starting in the Middle Ages, said Wolfgang Kaschuba, director of the Institute for European Ethnology at Humboldt University in Berlin. Largely, explicit laws weren't needed, however, due to existing traditions.
Now, each of Germany's 16 states has its own Tanzverbot law. In addition to Good Friday, dancing is forbidden in many states on several of the so-called quiet religious days throughout the year, including Christmas Eve.
But protesters have rallied around Good Friday, where organized dancing is banned for at least several hours in every state. The strictest bans start at 4 a.m. on Thursday and run through Saturday. Penalties vary, but fines can range from €5 to €500, or about $6.50 to $650.
Adding to the push to allow partying: Good Friday is a public holiday and the start of a four-day weekend. Easter Monday is also a holiday.
"When only 30% of the people belong to a church in a given city, then religious traditions face some backlash," Mr. Kaschuba said.
At Thursday's rally in Frankfurt, protesters called on their countrymen to officially declare themselves atheists to the government and to stop paying the tax levied on members of some religious communities. Organizers even offered a prize: A book on personal freedom.
About an hour north of Frankfurt, in the small university town of Giessen, the local branch of the antiestablishment Pirate Party has taken the Tanzverbot on as a major issue.
"There's a very strong community pressure that you're not able to criticize the church," said Christian Oechler, a Pirate Party leader and one of the organizers. "But now, the people are confident enough to take to the streets."
Last year, members were denied permission from officials to organize an official protest on that day. Still, some gathered and started moving around because they wanted "to warm up because of the weather," Mr. Oechler said.
Protesters try to keep the demonstrations respectful and from interrupting any church activities planned for the day, said Mr. Oechler. He said it is important to keep the church and state separate.
Mr. Witteck, however, argued it was a matter of mutual respect and tolerance.
"For many people, this is the highest sacred day of the year," he said. "Our society has become so fast. Everybody tells us we have to be international, multifunctional. It's not the worst thing to have a certain break during this time."
The Giessen Regional Commission, led by Mr. Witteck, stepped in last year to prohibit the planned demonstrations on Good Friday.
"I like to dance, and I want people to dance, and I think it's important to have fun. I think it's very important to allow everyone to protest," Mr. Witteck said. "But it's the way it is done…This is a provocation."
This year, the Pirate Party of Giessen is maintaining that it isn't organizing an official protest. However, it has posted a Web page under the slogan: "Dance against the Tanzverbot—Alone instead of together."
The notice proposes dancing alone "in your own backyard, on a busy street or perhaps at 6:30 p.m. in front of the Regional Commission" building, where Mr. Witteck's government is based.
There is also a link to a special sign for dancers to print out and carry in case police try to enforce the ban on organized dancing or demonstrations.
The sign reads: "Safety warning: I'm here alone!"
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