Germany’s Rose Monday carnival: Artist’s provocative floats feature Putin, Trump, other leaders
World | Trending | Some provocative floats by artist Jacques Tilly featured various world figures, including US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Rose Monday parades in Germany’s Cologne, Mainz and Düsseldorf attracted thousands of people. The annual carnival is celebrated in the country’s mainly Catholic western and southern regions. The festival features parades of floats that often depict comical or satirical references to current affairs.
Some provocative floats by artist Jacques Tilly featured various world figures, including US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Germany’s next chancellor Friedrich Merz, and others.
Also read | Germany: Two dead after car slams into crowd in Mannheim, police declare ‘life-threatening situation’
“This year was a special construction period,” Tilly said, referring to Trump’s inauguration and German federal elections, which took place shortly before Rose Monday. He announced “particularly harsh satire” this year.
Political, provocative floats
Tilly portrayed Olaf Sholz steering a sunken SPD barrage to the bottom of the sea. Near that lay a skull with the inscription “Lindner” on it. He also depicted the next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, as a donkey harnessed to a cart, which seems to be loaded with a lot of problems like recession, investment backlog, debt, Trump, and more.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
Addressing the international issues involving Russia and Ukraine as the US tries to strike a deal with President Zelensky, a float featured Trump and Putin shaking hands and crushing Zelensky between them.
A float also showed Trump with fire depicting annexations, tariffs, climate destruction, and mass deportations. A provocative float showed naked Putin, Trump, and Xi Jinping.
Trump’s close aide billionaire Elon Musk was depicted in an AfD diaper and a Napoleon hat as he ran away from a doctor. He was also holding an X-megaphone.
A satirical depiction of Putin was also seen showing him in jail.
Apart from these, a float depicted artificial intelligence eating the brain, showing concerns about the new field taking and its possible associations with laziness of thought or dominance of machines.
(With inputs from agencies)
