Berlin / Frankfurt / Cologne / Kaiserslautern (dpa) – mulled wine, almonds, handicrafts – but not for all: On the Monday after the Sunday of the Dead, many Christmas markets in Germany began with controls or mask requirements.
In parts of the republic, however, the markets remained completely closed on the traditional opening day.
The country is divided: Famous markets such as Nuremberg, Dresden and Munich were canceled at short notice due to high corona numbers. Markets have long been running in some cities such as Essen, Duisburg, Dortmund, Düsseldorf or Freiburg, as well as parts of Berlin and Hamburg.
Regulations from 3G to 2G
On Monday, a few large and well-known markets were added, including the Christmas markets in Berlin at the Gedächtniskirche, the Rotes Rathaus and the Gendarmenmarkt – or at the Cologne Cathedral. In addition, the markets in Frankfurt am Main, Kiel, Lübeck or Karlsruhe should start.
Depending on the federal state and the structure of the markets, some of which are fenced, strict rules apply, from 3G (visitors must be vaccinated, recovered or tested negative) to 2G (only vaccinated or recovered).
At the Berlin Gendarmenmarkt about 2G was valid, all visitors had to show proof of vaccination or recovery. As a result, a line formed from 11.00 a.m. In addition, many people voluntarily wore masks. At other Christmas markets such as in front of the Rotes Rathaus and the Gedächtniskirche near Ku’damm there is a mask requirement, no vaccination certificates are required.
In Hamburg, for example, the historic Roncalli Christmas market opened again on the Rathausmarkt on Monday after a corona-related forced break last year. The Christmas market should also start at Gänsemarkt, in Eppendorf and in Hafencity. In addition, the gay and lesbian Christmas market “Winter Pride” should start in St. Georg.
As a precautionary measure, there are fewer stands in Bremen and Hanover than usual, they were spread over a larger area. Strolling through the markets should be possible without restriction. However, the 3G rule applies to stands with catering in Bremen. In Hanover, the regulation is stricter: only those who have been vaccinated or recovered (2G) are catered for.
Corona rules have been tightened again
In other parts of Germany, there were also other short-term decisions on Monday. In Rhineland-Palatinate, for example, the corona rules for individual Christmas markets have been tightened: In Ludwigshafen, from this Tuesday on, only those who have been vaccinated and recovered will have access to the fenced-in areas, as the congress and marketing company announced on Monday. The Christmas market there has been open for almost two weeks.
In Kaiserslautern, the mulled wine stands will be fenced in, and 2G will then also apply in this area, as the city administration announced on Monday. Access ribbons are expected to be distributed from Tuesday after verification of the evidence. 2G regulations or a mask requirement have already been announced for other Christmas markets such as Mainz, Koblenz and Trier.
In Brandenburg, Christmas markets are threatened with the end shortly after they open. “Christmas markets should not be opened or existing ones should be closed again,” said the state government. The regulation should apply from Wednesday – on Tuesday the cabinet wants to decide on stricter corona rules.
In Stuttgart, too, the end of magic booths and mulled wine: Baden-Württemberg’s state capital canceled its Christmas market on Monday evening. “We tried everything to make the Christmas market possible. After other large Christmas markets in the region, especially the baroque Christmas market in Ludwigsburg and the medieval Christmas market in Esslingen, were canceled today, we are pulling the emergency brake, ”said Mayor Frank Nopper (CDU).
Otherwise, from Stuttgart’s point of view, the rush of visitors would probably no longer have been controllable and manageable under Corona conditions.
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