“On the wrong side” is a funny expression. That’s what people from Kastel jokingly say about Mainz. Today we are standing in front of the KCK-Denkmal. This monument celebrates the connection between Mainz and Kastel.
The KCK-Denkmal stands in the Mainzer Stadtpark near the Parkhotel Favorite. KCK stands for Karneval Club Kastel. The club gifted this monument on its 50th anniversary. It wanted to strengthen ties between people on both sides of the Rhine. Kastel sees Mainz as “uff de eebsch Seid”. This translates to “on the other side”. It implies the “wrong” or “worse” side. But it is meant playfully.
This KCK-Denkmal is made of local red sandstone. Kurt Lenz, a Mainz stonemason, created it. The KCK president Rolf Braun commissioned the work. Braun was well-loved and unforgettable. His trademark horn-rimmed glasses are on the monument’s lower part. This honors him.
Look closely. You will see the Mainz coat of arms. It features the Mainzer wheel. Kastel’s coat of arms shows a scallop shell. A jester’s cap sits atop the monument. It is a clear sign of carnival spirit.
The inscription reads: “Rechts des Rheins ist auch noch Mainz”. This means “Mainz is also on the right side of the Rhine”. This refers to Amöneburg, Kastel, and Kostheim. These districts were originally part of Mainz. They belonged to Rhineland-Palatinate. Later, a regional reform assigned them to Hesse. So they became part of Wiesbaden.
The KCK-Denkmal is more than stone. It is a symbol. It represents friendship and shared history. It reminds us that playful banter can build bridges. It is a reminder of the unique connection between Mainz and its neighbors across the Rhine. It embodies the carnival spirit and the enduring bond between two communities. The KCK-Denkmal stands as a testament to their unity.