Carnival is the time when Germans finally let loose and poke fun at themselves and others, mercilessly mocking world leaders with massive parade floats. This year, the jesters took aim at the up-and-coming right-wingers.
Donald Trump took central stage for the Rosenmontag celebration, followed by many other controversial figures, from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and European populist leaders Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders, to Germany's very own Angela Merkel.
The parades are a part of Carnival celebrations and remain very popular in the traditionally Catholic areas of Germany. Cities along the Rhine, like Cologne, Mainz, and Düsseldorf are particularly proud of their Rosenmontag (Shrove Monday) traditions and always try to outdo each other with their Carnival blow-out.