Carnival Revellers descended on the traditional strongholds of German Carnival culture, Dusseldorf and Cologne, for a raucous days-long party ahead of Ash Wednesday and the start of the Christian season of Lent.

The festivities began at the traditional start time of 11:11 am, as a group of women known as the Möhnen stormed Dusseldorf's town hall, while a traditional triumvirate of prince, farmer and maiden let partiers loose in Cologne. The Thursday leading up to Shrove Tuesday is known as Old Women's Carnival (Altweiberfasching) in Germany's Rhineland region.

Cologne Carnival President Christoph Kuckelkorn told dpa that the crowds were smaller than usual this time due to the bad weather.

"Either people are coming later or they have decided to celebrate at home, which is also nice," he said.

In the rowdy Cologne student district of Kwartier Latäng, known for its debaucherous Carnival street parties, crowds of mostly young revellers nonetheless braved the wet and chilly weather to begin celebrating well before the official start.

Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker told dpa that Cologne Carnival is always a celebration of diversity, which is also sung about in many songs: "I would like to see this practised throughout the year ahead."

Kuckelkorn, the leader of the festivities, said: "Cologne is colourful. We have all nationalities, all religious affiliations and orientations here. Cologne is a place of diversity."

In nearby Bonn, revellers celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Washerwoman's Uprising in the Beuel district of the city, when women stood up against patriarchal exploitation and formed a women's rights committee.

Every year since 1958, the women of Bonn-Beuel have crowned a woman from their ranks as the Washerwoman Princess as part of the festivities.