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Many of us associate the word “savanna” with the African continent—with herds of elephants roaming, lions hunting, and zebras grazing beneath scattered acacia trees. But savannas are found all over the world! They make up between 13 and 18 percent of our planet’s total land area.

This is what the great Cologne singer Willi Ostermann sang longingly about his hometown shortly before his death in 1936. He probably would never have dared to imagine, even in his wildest dreams, that his lyrics would take on an entirely new meaning barely ten years later.

After six days of singing, parades, meetings and the odd Kölsch, it’s all over – Ash Wednesday marks the end of the session and heralds the start of Lent. In Cologne, the Nubbel is traditionally burned on the evening of Shrove Tuesday, a ritual with which the people of Cologne cleanse themselves of any sins they may have committed during the carnival season and enter Lent free of sin.

In 1926, Cologne is caught between two stools: On the one hand, the British occupation is coming to an end and Shrove Monday is approaching. The economic situation is tense. But at the same time, the city looks back on over a decade without a carnival. After such a long time, people are hungry for experiences!

Let’s immerse ourselves in the lively streets of Cologne in 1926, when a familiar cry filled the air: “Extrablatt! Just one penny!” The newspaper child – the Instagram, the Tagesschau and the live ticker of the time – played a crucial role in the dissemination of news and information.

Behind the simple façade of the old pharmacy lies a baroque jewel. Originally a beer cellar, the building was transformed into a magnificent rococo-style monastery pharmacy in 1763. Today, visitors can enjoy a fascinating journey through the world of medicine – right in the heart of Andechs Monastery.