Klaasohm Festival on Borkum: Abolition of cow horns ensures peace!

Klaasohm Festival on Borkum: Abolition of cow horns ensures peace!

The traditional “Klaasohm” celebration on the North Sea island of Borkum is facing a fundamental upheaval. After heavy criticism of the violent rituals in which men dressed as “Klaasohms” beat women with cow horns, the Borkum Boys Association has decided to abolish this custom. In 2024, the festival, which will be celebrated on December 5th, will take place in a more peaceful form. Loud Sat.1 Regional The city of Borkum, the club and the police are working together to ensure that the celebrations go off without incident.

The decision to abolish beating with cow horns came after a controversial ARD report that highlighted the festival's potential for violence. This report anonymously published accounts of aggressive attacks on women, and a video showing the brutal restraint of women shocked many. The video had over 400,000 views on YouTube and was met with massive outrage, prompting police to announce a "zero tolerance policy" towards violence daily news reported.

History and change of the Klaasohm Festival

The Klaasohm Festival has its roots back to 1830, when the Borkum Boys Association was founded. Historically, the custom, which is strongly linked to the role of women during the whaling era, can be seen as an expression of power relations between the sexes. There used to be strict rules that prohibited women from being on the streets that evening. This discrepancy between tradition and modern values ​​has led to intense discussions about violence against women, especially in recent years. Wikipedia describes the tradition as part of a long history whose violent aspects are now being questioned.

Mayor Jürgen Akkermann and the club distance themselves from the violent practices and emphasize that beating with cow horns was never a central part of the festival. He rejects the reporting as tendentious and says that the custom has always been questioned and developed over the years. In 2023, the police increased their presence to ensure security, and a similar number of visitors of around 600 people is expected in 2024.

Protective measures for visitors

In order to react to possible problems in advance, a comprehensive protection concept was developed that is implemented by the city and the police. This includes setting up telephone numbers and rooms where women can receive support should unpleasant or dangerous situations arise. According to reports, the last festival was peaceful, which gives hope for a positive development in the upcoming festivals.

Even if the tradition of the Klaasohm Festival is shaped by the new developments, it remains to be seen how the islanders and tourists will react to the changes. According to the mayor, the spirit of the festival should continue to promote cohesion and identity among Borkum's residents, but without such problematic customs.

In this sense, the upcoming Klaasohm Festival could be a sign of change and show that tradition and progress can go hand in hand, so it remains to be hoped that the festival will enable everyone to be together peacefully.