“Jester’s licence is about freedom of expression”

When the Russian president can be seen atop a carnival float with oversized testicles, blood on his hands or offensive megalomaniac ambitions, you can be fairly sure that Jacques Tilly was involved. The 62-year-old is one of the Rhineland carnival’s best-known satirists. This year, his satirical work has drawn even more attention than usual against the backdrop of the ongoing political conflict - partly because it has clearly angered Moscow. 

For more than 40 years, Tilly has been using papier-mâché, acrylic paint and wire mesh to build figures designed to bring delight to carnival-lovers and raise the ire of political leaders. The Düsseldorf Rose Monday parade is his “exhibition on wheels”. “Putin, Trump, Erdoğan, the mullahs in Iran – no one is spared,” says Tilly. The more provocative, political and opinionated the idea, the quicker he and his team build the float. 

Fans in Asia 

Carnival is a period in Germany, especially in cities such as Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz, when the normal rules are suspended and set rituals apply. In many places, the festivities culminate in the Rose Monday parades. Tens of thousands of revellers in fancy dress gather to publicly mock political leaders for their shortcomings, taking advantage of the “jester’s licence to mock”. 

It is clear from the international response that the images of Germany’s carnival have an impact far beyond the country’s own borders. In 2019, Tilly featured in more than 1,500 media reports in over 100 countries, with particular interest evident in South Korea. Pictures of his floats are also shown in Japan, Taiwan and China.  

Tilly has also attracted international attention for another reason in recent months. In 2025, Russia initiated criminal proceedings against him. In simple terms, he is accused of “discrediting the organs of state”. Under Russia’s very broadly defined criminal law, Tilly faces a fine or up to ten years in prison.   

Putin is one of Tilly’s favourite motifs. He has depicted the Russian president not only with blood on his hands, but also in indecent poses. He calls the lawsuit “absolute propaganda hogwash”. The trial is taking place in Moscow. He is not appearing before the court - and by his own account has also not been summonsed. “Some would perhaps be scared by such a lawsuit. But we carnival enthusiasts from Düsseldorf are made of sterner stuff,” says Tilly. “Jester’s licence is about freedom of expression.” 

Jester’s licence is also about freedom of expression 

Adopting a stance is also an important part of the carnival. It’s not without good reason that Tilly, just ahead of the current season, is thinking back to his favourite float from 2017. Back then he had been wondering why so many political rogues had dyed blond hair. That’s how he came up with his slogan: “Blond is the new brown”.  

The float depicts US President Donald Trump, French right-wing nationalist Marine Le Pen and Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders, accompanied by an Adolf Hitler with dyed blond hair. 

Tilly believes it’s no longer the case that German humour is held in low regard. “When I started out, Germany was a much less humorous place.” Satire, says Tilly, was seen as fouling your own nest. That has changed, he explains. “These days I can build floats that I’d have been stoned for in the 1980s”, he laughs. 

He says that his own attitude has also shifted. “Nowadays I stand up much more for liberal democracy. It is reasonable to criticise it, yes. But one must not call it into question.”