Dispute over guard of honor: Kreuzberg resigns – chaos before the election!

Dispute over guard of honor: Kreuzberg resigns – chaos before the election!

The Cologne Carnival is currently less about celebratory preparations and more about an internal dispute within the honor guard. The resignation of Michael Kreuzberg as Senate President leads to unrest and sharp disputes over the future leadership of the Senate. Kreuzberg, who had held the office for 15 years and was also politically active for many years, announced his retirement on August 7, 2025. In a written letter, he informed his Senate colleagues of his decision, which stems from an increasingly explosive conflict surrounding the annual general meeting and the August 27 elections. These are supposed to take place between him and his challenger, Thomas Bischof, which has further fueled tensions, reports the Cologne City Gazette.

The fate of the Senate is important because it is a central institution within the Honor Guard, which was founded in 1950 and now has around 150 members. Members from all areas of Cologne life come together here to not only celebrate the carnival, but also to actively help shape it. The executive board of the Honor Guard is affected by Kreuzberg's resignation, but at the same time emphasizes that there are inconsistent views regarding future leadership. In his opinion, a compromise was desirable in which the teams of both candidates could have been brought together.

A resignation with consequences

But it's not just the elections that are heating up tempers. The executive board has already spoken of “unacceptable” practices after internal information was leaked to the outside world without authorization. Kreuzberg, in turn, rejected allegations that he had spread falsehoods about discussions before the elections. The leadership conflict is likely to cause further commotion, and the board said in a new letter that it did not want to "simply accept" the developments. It remains to be seen whether an agreement will be reached or whether the fronts will harden further.

In his letter of resignation, Kreuzberg thanks his Senate colleagues for their support and reiterates that, despite his intention to resign, he would like to remain a member of the traditional corps. A man with an eventful career: In addition to his role in the guard of honor, Kreuzberg was also mayor of Brühl from 1999 to 2013 and steered the fortunes of the Rhein-Erft district between 2013 and 2020. The board, led by Hans-Georg Haumann, expresses its regret about the resignation and hopes that the community can continue to be shaped positively.

A look at the Cologne Carnival

Amid this unrest, it is important to consider the background of the Cologne Carnival. It is not just a gigantic party, but a deeply rooted tradition with clear structures. Around 60 regular carnival societies are organized in the Cologne Carnival Festival Committee, which represents the highest authority. The regular societies are actively involved in organizing the carnival, organizing events and carrying out charitable projects. These societies are a backbone of the city's society and represent different facets of Carnival, from traditional to modern approaches, such as Cologne Carnival documented.

The crisis within the Guard of Honor shows that even an institution as strongly established as the Cologne Carnival is not immune to internal conflicts. The next steps will be crucial and it remains to be seen what direction the Senate will take with its new leadership. What is currently going on behind the scenes could have a lasting impact on the further development of the carnival tradition in Cologne.