The history of our present day
Guard of Honour of the City of Cologne
The history of the „EhrenGarde der Stadt
Köln 1902 e. V.“ is closely linked to the history
of Cologne and the Cologne
Carnival.
The oldest recorded beginnings of the
Carnival celebrations may go back far in
history. From the Winter Solstice and Lupercalia
it developed during medieval
times into a religious festival just before
the beginning of lent on Ash Wednesday.
Guards of honour are a common institution
in the history of Cologne, starting in
1235 on the occasion of the ceremonial
procession of Princess Isabella of England,
later to become the wife of Emperor
Friedrich II., in Cologne. Under napoleon
occupation, a „Garde d‘honneur de la ville
de Cologne“
had been established, which
served as a raw model for today‘s EhrenGarde
der Stadt Köln.
Today, when we look back over the 100-
year history of our association, we see
that one name is inseparably linked to the
founding of the „EhrenGarde der Stadt
Köln 1902 e. V.“. Heinrich „Heinz“ Stupp
(1875-1955) was the founder and the
first commander of the EhrenGarde. Growing
up as the son of a theatre owner,
Stupp caught the Carnival bug during
the
many years that his father organised activities
for the Carnival procession.
Initially, the EhrenGarde was called
„Stadtkölnische Ordnungstruppe“ (Cologne
City Order Troop) or „Schutzgarde des
Kölner Bauern und Jungfrau 1800“ (Protective
Guard of the Cologne Farmer and
Maiden 1800). Midway through 1900,
Stupp changed again the name. At the
founding meeting on 15.11.1900 its had
been decided to name the group „Ehren-
Garde der Stadt Köln“ (Guard of Honour
of the City of Cologne).
Initially, the EhrenGarde was not permitted
to take the sought after position in
front of the Farmer and the Maiden in
the Carnival procession, two traditional
figures in cities history the farmer representing
the courage of the city, the maiden
representing the free city of Cologne.
It‘s thanks to his youthful enthusiasm
and belief in the idea that Stupp and his
followers were able to win through against
the stubborn principle riders. It was agreed
to give the mounted group the chance of
slipping into a favourable position in the
Carnival procession by faking a breakdown.
Shouting „Rubbedidupp“,
the group
won its place in the Carnival procession
and has defended it to this day. The battle
cry of the EhrenGarde
„Rubbedidupp“
still serves as a reminder of this daring
coup. This was a display of the original
Cologne Carnival spirit. From this point
on, the motto of the EhrenGarde has been:
„Dem Bauer zur Wehr, der Jungfrau zur
Ehr!”
„For the Farmer‘s defence and the Maiden‘
s honour!”
The First World War put an abrupt stop to
the development of the EhrenGarde
and,
during the period between the World