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The Germans really knew how to throw a party aswell, and as much as I would love the carnival in Rio, this I would prefer.

The Schoenbartbuch from Nürnberg, dating a bit uncertain still. Probably 16th century. Parts may be older, or portray
much earlier carnivals.

And here are links, both to the manuscript and a few other images on Wiki.

Hamburg seems to have quite similar traditions of fencing, including fencing on a raised "shield". Haven't I read
somewhere that the vikings had such traditions as well? (See the attached image.) Although in the German version
it appears as if the "shield" consists of interlaced swords.

http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewIt ... geItems=50

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Categ ... embartlauf

Also, a few images appear to have been used repeateadly, with slight variations, like the two following:

It is very interesting to note that these carneval war games appear to focus on the short spear,
the halberd and even occasionally peasant weapons like a pitch fork. It is also interesting to see the pilum like
throwing spear that I mostly have seen as symbolic tools of death, thrown by Death, angels or demons, but
here appears to actually have been used, possibly still symbolically.

And here is an article from Die Gartenlaube in 1879.

And just to connect the dots, here is an earlier thread on Italian festivals:
viewtopic.php?f=44&t=270