In many parts of Germany, how is the Monday before Shrove Tuesday known?

It should be noted in the interests of accuracy that "Roose" is also an old German word meaning "frolic" and this is the original derivation, but nowadays, in the parts of Germany that make much of Carnival, such as the Rhineland, "Rosenmontag" is almost universally taken to mean "Rose Monday", with many displays of the flower in parades and on costumes.

In their own way, some parts of Germany make as much of Carnival (the word is Latin in derivation, meaning "farewell, meat" and denoting the Lenten feast) as Brazil. The actual carnival season launches on the 11th November. This has sometimes been criticised in certain sections of the British press as being disrespectful to Armistice Day, but though the coincidence is perhaps unfortunate, it predates it by centuries.

The actual street parades begin on the Thursday before Shrove Tuesday, which is known as "Weiberfastnacht" or "Women's Carnival". Sometimes, with obvious symbolic overtones, women cut off their menfolk's ties!

Although the Monday and Tuesday of Carnival week are not official bank holidays in Germany, many of the areas that celebrate them most regard them unofficially as such, with schools and workplaces closed.

Incidentally, though the term is not nearly as widespread, Shrove Tuesday can be called "Velichendienstag" - Violet Tuesday.

In 2020, "Rosenmontag" was celebrated on the 24th of February.