The association.

Welcome to the circle of friends and sponsors!

On their way through the centuries, nothing seems more constant with our “Hellige Knäächte un Mägde” than change. Looking back, we even regard this as the most important building block for the successful preservation of their originality and the strong roots in Cologne’s folk life and carnival.

A look at our history is very important to us. After all, our ancestors showed us in an impressive way how they were able to defy the crises, wars and many desires of society and carnival, and thus always carried the soul, values and virtues of the “Hellige Knäächte un Mägde” into the future.

The “Traditionstanzgruppe Hellige Knäächte un Mägde e.V.“ sees itself first and foremost as a circle of friends and supporters who would like to join us for the benefit of our groups. The purpose of the association, as laid down in its statutes, is the “promotion and preservation” of the historical dance formation.

In order to be able to do justice to this enormous task, we are dreamers and realists at the same time. We think that when it comes to artistic and socially successful development, dreaming is allowed. However, we are realists when it comes to the practical shaping of our paths and set goals. We always see our task in paving the way for our dancers, choreographers, arrangers and musicians and guiding them safely into the future.

The association pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes. It forms the organisational, legal and social basis for our groups and guarantees their continued existence and sustainability. The association owns the trademark rights for the name “Hellige Knäächte un Mägde”, for the traditional costumes in their historical colours “red, white and black” and the rights to choreographies and arrangements. As a member of the “Festkomitee Kölner Karneval von 1823 e.V.“ (Cologne Carnival Committee of 1823) he sees himself as a solidary part of the large Cologne carnival family.