Christoph Kuckelkorn, the 61-year-old president of the Cologne Carnival Committee, has announced his resignation at the end of the carnival season. The decision comes after 21 years on the board and stems from professional changes. The announcement was made at a pre-Christmas event in Cologne.
Christoph Kuckelkorn announced his resignation as president of the Cologne Carnival Committee during a pre-Christmas presidents' evening in Cologne. The 61-year-old will step down after Ash Wednesday, marking the end of the current carnival season. The committee confirmed the news.
Kuckelkorn cited new professional developments in his work as a funeral director and chairman of a nationwide funeral network as the reason. These commitments are increasingly demanding his time. "After 21 years on the executive board of the committee, it is now time to hand over my responsibilities to younger hands," he was quoted as saying in the statement.
Kuckelkorn has been a board member of the Cologne Carnival Committee since 2005. During this period, he served as the lead organizer for the traditional Rose Monday parade for twelve years. In 2017, he succeeded Markus Ritterbach as president. His involvement has significantly contributed to preserving and organizing Cologne's carnival, one of Germany's largest folk festivals.