When the fifth season begins
Between dress rehearsals and costume fittings, the final brushstrokes for the stage set and arrangements for the big anniversary celebration, Mario Vietmeyer found an hour to tell me about his great hobby - the OTTOJANERN. (in German) The carnival club was founded in 1954 as a student carnival at the university's predecessor institution. In 1982, Mario Vietmeyer began his work at the Technical University in what is now the central workshop at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and has been involved in the OTTOJANER carnival ever since - initially as a guest and later on stage as a participant and club member. In the early 1980s, tickets were only available to students and members of the university. "They were highly coveted and if someone from 'outside' wanted to attend an OTTOJANER carnival, they had to be sponsored by a student or member of staff from the university," recalls the OTTOJANER.
His wife shares his enthusiasm for carnival. In 2011, they sat on stage together as the prince and princess with the Elferrat. "Not only did we have to open the kissing ceremony, I also had to give a speech," Mario Vietmeyer tells me. "I wanted to speak freely and my wife practiced with me every free minute - whether I was driving or cooking in the kitchen - to speak slowly, clearly, with emphasis and loudly." But his heart really belongs to dancing in the men's ballet. Preparations for the upcoming carnival season begin in late summer. The motto is decided, a song is chosen, the choreography is worked out, then rehearsed weekly and the costumes are selected. "Unfortunately, I've never danced Swan Lake before," the OTTOJANER tells me somewhat wistfully. "We had already rehearsed it, but then Corona came along." Over the years, the all-male ballet has become a mixed ballet troupe. The "girls" from the show ballet joined them. The now 63-year-old no longer has stage fright. But there is still a tingling in his stomach, he admits, as there is only "one chance and every step has to be right the first time, with hundreds of people watching on stage".
I want to know what he thinks the work of the carnival club is all about. "The sense of community, the organizing and being able to get involved." And it's not just OTTOJANER's dancing skills that are in demand. He likes to use his manual skills to set up, dismantle and repair the stage sets. When the conversation turns to the stage sets, I can sense his enthusiasm. He talks about the painting weekend where all the OTTOJANS meet and raves about the painter of the decorations, who is a true artist. Under his guidance, an A4 sketch becomes a 10 x 8 meter stage set this weekend. This impresses Mario Vietmeyer again and again, year after year. This artistic skill can also be seen on the 40-ton truck that the OTTOJANERs design and with which they take part in the big Rose Monday parade in Köthen. They will be there again this year.
And there is the social gathering that is part of club life and the pride at the end of the session when everything went well and all the guests were satisfied and had a great party night.
But until this feeling sets in, not only the dancers, but all OTTOJANER are eagerly awaiting the big 70th anniversary event on January 20, 2024 at the AMO Kultur- und Kongresshaus. Invited to "Otto's wild 70th" are foolish companions from 70 years from friendly clubs, the city and region and, of course, from the university. As in the previous 70 years, the Rectorate will hand over the regency for the fifth season to the jesters and fools with the symbolic key at the opening of the session. From 8:11 p.m., guests can expect a show program, carnival speeches and songs as well as Scottish bagpipers and Japanese taiko drummers. And Mario Vietmeyer will also be on stage again, contributing to a mega colorful carnival night. Incidentally, tickets are still available, he tells me at the end of our conversation. Well then: Otto, Otto Alaaf!