2016 Carnival: Gone with the wind in Düsseldorf, Mainz

Shrove Monday is almost unimaginable without the traditional parades through the German cities where it is celebrated as Rosenmontag, or Rose Monday. But the storm front Ruzica, which threatened gusts exceeding 100 kilometers per hour (60 mph), caused cancellations in several cities, including Mainz and Düsseldorf, where Carnival usually reigns supreme.

Some Carnivalists remained undaunted, like this one in Düsseldorf. But what if a branch or part of a float had fallen on a group of people? With a heavy heart, the organizers in Mainz and Düsseldorf decided to call off the parade.

In Düsseldorf, some of the floats were parked on public squares. Passersby could then at least see how Chancellor Angela Merkel is depicted as washed away by a "wave of refugees."

The float builders in Düsseldorf lived up to their reputation for not shying away from politically explosive subjects. This float describes the way the Alternative for Germany party has moved toward the political right; the color brown is often used in Germany to symbolize Nazism.

This is another of the floats that would have taken part in the Düsseldorf parade. The US presidential hopeful Donald Trump would not likely use his preferred modifier "greatest" to describe this irreverent depiction.

In Mainz, the floats stayed under cover. Here are some of them loaded with the candies that would usually have been thrown to the spectators. Now, it won't just be the children who are asking what's going to be done with all those thousands of sweets.

In Cologne, another bastion of Carnival, the organizers decided to let the parade go ahead - but without horses, large figures on the floats and flags. And spectators embraced the motto: "There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing."

At the least, sturdy shoes were much in evidence among the spectators. But the jostling to pick up as many of the thrown candies as possible was not as intense as it usually is in Cologne.

Police are making their presence known in Cologne over Carnival following the attacks that occurred on New Year's Eve.

Authentic Carnival fans will never let wind, weather or even fear of terrorism dampen their spirits. And when Cologne's white-and-red colors can even be seen adorning the umbrellas, it can't be long until the owners head off for their first glass of the local brew, called Kölsch.