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Roller, Scheller, and the Scheissheislebass

by
All Around The World
Every two years, a large carnival celebration takes place in Imst. During the so-called Schemenlaufen, adults and children take turns taking center stage. This year, thousands of visitors celebrated Buabefasnacht together.

Tourists and locals stand shoulder to shoulder in the streets and narrow alleys of the Tyrolean village. Everyone is eagerly awaiting the twelve o'clock chime of the village church. The first Sackler steps out and solemnly announces the start of the parade. The Imst town band begins to play and, little by little, more and more masked figures emerge. What makes this carnival special is that only boys between the ages of six and 15 take part in the Buabefasnacht. 

Security? We don't need it!

Shortly after the opening, the first circle is formed. Now the first order masks get to work. They ensure that the spectators keep enough distancefrom the participants. The children clearly enjoy this task. After all, as sacklers, they are allowed to push the audience back with small cloth bags. Their colorful tools are filled with dried corn leaves or scraps of cloth. With a few hearty blows, the sacklers bring the audience to heel.

A costume with colorful clothing and a dark blue apron. The mask, dressed as an old woman, wears a colorful fabric ball on a short handle. Other masks and spectators can be seen around the figure.
Sackler uses the cloth bag to keep things tidy during the move.
A masked figure. He is wearing a dark blue tailcoat, a white shirt, and a blue pirate-style hat. The mask he is wearing has a pointed nose and depicts an older man. In his hand, he is holding a golden syringe with pretzels dangling from it. Behind him, you can see other people.
The splash usually hits the legs, but sometimes the water ends up on the face (with family and friends).

The Spritzer help him with this task. They carry a large syringe and give many people an unexpected shower. They have plenty of ammunition, as Imst is also known as the "city of fountains." There are more than 40 of them. As a small compensation, the Spritzer then hands out a Faschingsbretze. Several thousand of these are baked especially for this occasion. There is a third mask of order: the Kübelemajen is equipped with a small bucket of powder and a cloth handkerchief. If a spectator steps out of line, they end up with a white face.

A figure wearing a wooden mask, blonde hair, a hat, a small bucket, and a white handkerchief. The colorfully dressed figure with a blue apron is standing on the street, with several other carnival costumes behind her.
The "Kübelemajen" sorting mask gives pushy people a layer of white powder.
A visitor with a white face. She has light brown, long hair, which she wears loose. She is wearing a light-colored cap and a black anorak. She smiles at the camera.
Lara, a visitor to the carnival, was reprimanded by the Kübelemajen.

A grand spectacle

The stars of the Imst Carnival are definitely Scheller and Roller. These characters wear large headdresses with wooden masks and are equipped with bells. A brief explanation of terms for non-Tyroleans: the wooden face mask is called a "Larve," while the entire character (e.g., Scheller) is called the "Maske."

In the middle of the Krois, they perform their dance ("Gangl") one after the other. This requires a lot of practice and even more stamina. After all, the bells weigh around 16 kilograms for the young people, and the roller has to jump a lot during his Gangl. Some of the participants prepare for the event for months in advance. They improve their stamina by going on long mountain hikes in the surrounding area.

The Roller and the Scheller, two characters from the Imst Carnival. They wear red and white costumes, magnificent headdresses, and white gloves. The Scheller on the right has a large, curving beard. The Roller on the left makes a rather delicate impression.
The colors of Roller and Scheller's clothing match.
Here you can see the Scheller and the Roller in a large square. They are dressed in white and blue clothing. The Roller's belt with round bells is colorfully designed.
Here you can clearly see the oval bells on the roller. He makes them ring by jumping.

During the parade, you can also hear music coming from other masks: the witches are responsible for the eerie sounds. The witches' music uses a very specific instrument for this purpose: the so-called "Scheissheislebass." This is a woodwind instrument that produces very low tones.

The carnival also features bears with their drivers, monkeys, and several other masks. The bears have a particularly difficult time during the parade. They are expected to perform little tricks. If they don't do a somersault, the driver hits them on the head. Although the head is equipped with a frame and padded on the inside, it can still be painful in the long run. But the people of Imst are tough.

An instrument used in witchcraft music: the Scheissheislebass. The instrument emits hideous sounds.
The Scheissheislebass is used in every Krois.
One of the bears in the parade. A white bear, as tall as a man, with a white, gaping mouth.
The bears are accompanied by handlers who encourage them to perform various tricks.

Once the Scheller and the Roller have finished their dance, it is time to honor the people behind the scenes. Family, friends, and especially women who helped with the preparations are brought into the circle. They receive an"honorary dance"and are the focus of attention for a few minutes. After the dance, they are given a glass ornament, the "Einführ-Larvel," to wear around their necks. Being honored in this way is a great honor.

Finally, accompanied by music, the participants move a few meters further and then make the next turn. The procession is brought up the rear by the huts, which have taken months to build. Despite being precisely measured, they can still get stuck somewhere in the narrow alleys. Then it's time to get out the saw. However, the huts are not cut up! The residents' houses have to make way. Of course, they are repaired as quickly as possible, but during Carnival, the parade takes priority. At the end of the celebration, the painstakingly constructed wooden houses are dismantled into their individual parts. New motifs are then created for the next Schemenlaufen.

A band with a banner in traditional clothing
The local town band accompanies the masks on their way.
A house painted beige with a fire department motif on the front. It has two vertically aligned windows and a red door below the painted motif. The base of the house is wrapped in fabric.
It may look like an ordinary residential building, but it is actually part of the carnival parade.

These rules must be observed.

Even though the event is primarily about having fun, there are still a few rules that must be followed.

  • Only boys/men who were born in Imst or have lived here for a long time are eligible to participate.
  • The wooden larva must not be placed before 12 noon.
  • No spectators are allowed in the Krois – with the exception of the guest of honor. 
  • With the Scheller, the Schwengl must strike everywhere, not just on one side.
  • At six o'clock in the evening, the masks must come off. Otherwise, they may grow on (according to an old folk belief).

The Labara

Another part of Fasnacht are the Labara. Although they do not take part in the parade, they still play an important role. The group stops at several locations in the town and performs a short play. The declamator tells an embarrassing story that happened to an Imster during the course of the year. He uses a poster he has designed himself to bring the story to life. The entire Labara troupe then sings about the mishap. Even though most Imst residents find this public display unpleasant, it is still the greatest honor that can be bestowed upon a resident of the town.

The children are dressed in traditional clothing, carry a poster with drawn characters, and tell the story in traditional clothing.
The Labara perform their plays in various locations around town.
There is even a specification. It is printed in red, black, and white.
The holiday newspaper is available for ten euros.

Preparations will begin on January 6.

Carnival is extremely important to the residents of this Tyrolean town. On Epiphany, the carnival committee meets in the largest hall. Together with the audience, they first decide: "Söll mer huire in d'Fåsnåcht giah?" – Translated: Shall we go to carnival this year?

This question has never been answered with a "no" since its inception. After Roller and Scheller march into the hall without their masks, the traditional carnival march is played. After an initial discussion, the participants pay a small fee to the treasurer, which covers supply costs and insurance. 

And then it's time to rehearse. The main characters in particular have to rehearse twice a week. They practice ringing the bells (small, hand-forged bells), walking the Gangl, and the roller is sure to end up with sore muscles (at first). He is expected to be able to jump onto the tavern table even after the parade. Much to the "delight" of the innkeepers, this does happen from time to time.

The glue that holds Imst together

For the roughly 500 participants, the Buabefasnacht is a matter close to their hearts. They rehearse for weeks beforehand and wear their Swiss stone pine masks with great pride. Some of these hand-carved works of art have been in family possession for generations. They can cost more than 500 euros to purchase. But it’s worth it to the people of Imst, because Fasnacht is more than just a celebration to them. 

Wholeheartedly committed: Karin Ungericht has done a lot behind the scenes for Fasnacht.
Wholeheartedly committed: Karin Ungericht has done a lot behind the scenes for Fasnacht.
Andy makes sure that the cars get safely through the alleys and crowds.
Andy makes sure that the cars get safely through the alleys and crowds.
Rudi Kastner and Kurt Zebisch are responsible for financial matters as treasurers.
Rudi Kastner and Kurt Zebisch are treasurers responsible for financial matters.
Elmar from the Imst Town Band ensures that visitors' throats don't dry out.
Elmar from the Imst Town Band ensures that visitors' throats don't dry out.

"Carnival is the glue that holds the people of Imst together, " says Manfred Walter, chairman of the carnival committee, speaking from the heart of the town's residents.

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References:

Homepage of the Imst Carnival

Discussions and experiences on site on February 8, 2026

Interview with the chairman of the carnival committee, Mr. Manfred Waltner, on February 10, 2026

Photo credits: Ingrid Müller

Musical instrument Scheissheislebass: (c) Markus Trenkwalder

© 2026 Ingrid's Block. All rights reserved.

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