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FRANKFURT

What’s on in Germany: September 10 – 16

This Week's Highlights: It's Gallery Weekend in Munich, Day of Open Monuments in Berlin, and time for the Autumn Fun Fair in Frankfurt.

Published: 10 September 2009 11:15 CEST
What's on in Germany: September 10 - 16
Autumn Fun Fair in Frankfurt. Photo: Tourismus+Congress GmbH Frankfurt am Main

BERLIN

Events

Day of Open Monuments

Get an inside look at important city sites like the Maxim-Gorki-Theater, the Evangelical Church of St. Marien, the Karl-Liebknecht Haus, and the Leibniz-Gymanasium this weekend when hundreds of buildings invite the public in for the Day of Open Monuments – which is taking place nationwide on September 13.

Price: Free

Location: Various

Times: Saturday, September 12 & Sunday, September 13

Phone: 030 96513316

More Information: tag-des-offenen-denkmals.de

Film

Going Underground – International Short Film Festival

Ninety seconds max. That’s how long the films in this “underground” festival of ultra shorts can be. Watch the fourteen cinema-nuggets on the Berliner Fenster monitors found in the city’s U-Bahn trains, and then vote for your favourite. Keep an eye out for the five that commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall by depicting the events of 1989.

Price: Free

Location: U-Bahn Trains

Times: Wednesday, September 9 – Tuesday, September 15

More Information: www.goingunderground.de

Galleries/Museums

Free Within Limits – Fashion, Photography, Underground in the GDR 1979-89

Khaki shorts, utilitarian dresses, and boxy jackets. Through Sunday you can view the fashions of 1980s East Germany at Berlin’s Museum for Decorative Arts. Photographs by Sibylle Bergemann, Tina Bara, Helga Paris, and others depict the styles of the times.

Price: €8

Location: Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Decorative Arts), Matthäikirchplatz

Times: Tuesday – Friday, 10am-6pm; Saturday & Sunday, 11am-6pm

Phone: 030 266 42 3040

More Information: www.smb.museum

COLOGNE

Events

At Home in Germany Welcome Day

New in town? Wondering about a thing or two? Head over to the International Peace School where a group of friendly faces will be on hand to offer all sorts of information on topics like health care, banking, housing, and education. this helpful event will surely be an invaluable resource for expatriates from around the world.

Price: Free

Location: International Peace School Cologne, Neue Sandkaul 29

Times: Sunday, September 13, 11am-5pm

Phone: 0211 8800 400

More Information: www.athomeingermany.com

Galleries/Museums

Hélène Binet – Photographs of the Work of Peter Zumthor

Buildings take on poetic appeal in the works of London-based, Swiss photographer Hélène Binet. Her shots showcase the architectural magnificence of a museum, a chapel, and a thermal spring spa designed by Peter Zumthor in this new exhibition at the Gabrielle Ammann Gallery.

Price: Free

Location: Gabrielle Ammann Gallery, Teutoburger Strasse 27

Times: Tuesday – Friday, 1-6pm; through November 6

Phone: 221 932 8803

More Information: www.ammann-gallery.com

FRANKFURT

Festivals

Autumn Dippemess Frankfurt Fun Fair

What better way to chase away the back-to-school blues than with fun and games? The Rhine-Main region’s biggest folk festival kicks off Friday. Catch the opening night fireworks at 10pm, then get in line for the Ferris wheel. It’s going to be a wild ride!

Price: Free

Location: Ratsweg, in front of the ice rink at the Frankfurt Fairground

Times: Monday – Thursday, 2-11pm; Friday & Saturday, 2pm-12am; Sunday, 12-11pm; Friday, September 11 – Monday, September 21

More Information: www.frankfurt-tourismus.de

HAMBURG

Events

Open Studios 2009

Eighteen artist’s studios in the southern part of the city invite the public to come and have a look this weekend. Gawk at the goods of painters, photographers, sculptors, and video and installation artists, and get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes.

Price: Free

Location: Various

Phone: 040 336 514

Times: Saturday, September 12 & Sunday, September 13; 11am-6pm

More Information: www.bbk-offene-ateliers.de

Galleries/Museums

Max Scheler: From Konrad A. to Jackie O. – Photographs from Germany, China and the USA

The late German photojournalist’s pictures appeared in everything from Life to Paris Match. See a selection of over one hundred of his most captivating works at Hamburg’s Deichtorhallen exhibition gallery, beginning Friday.

Price: €9

Location: Deichtorhallen Hamburg, Deichtorstrasse 1-2

Times: Tuesday – Sunday, 11am-6pm; through November 15

Phone: 040 321 030

More Information: www.deichtorhallen.de

MUNICH

Galleries/Museums

Open Art – Munich Gallery Weekend

Let the autumn art season begin. Sixty-five galleries around the city open their doors for this massive contemporary art event. Go and find something new for your collection! Or simply be inspired…

Price: Free

Location: Various

Times: Friday, September 11, 6-9pm; Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13, 11am-6pm

More Information: www.openart.biz

Music/Concerts

Flower Street Festival

The indie label Flowerstreet Records has organised a local music festival featuring seven of its favourite Munich-based bands. Head over to Hansa 39 Saturday to see Elektrik Kezy Mezy, Lucky Fish, Pardon Ms. Ardon, and more!

Price: €8

Location: Hansa 39, Hansastrasse 39-41

Times: Saturday, September 12, 5pm

Phone: 089 72 4880

More Information: feierwerk.de

Events

New American Literature Series – Reading with Randa Jarrar

Her debut novel A Map of Home won the 2009 Arab American Book Award. Hear the Mid-East-born, Austin, Texas-based author read from her book Monday night.

Price: €5

Location: Karonlinenplatz 3

Times: Monday, September 14, 7:30pm

More Information: www.randajarrar.com

For members

BERLIN

EXPLAINED: Berlin’s latest Covid rules

In response to rapidly rising Covid-19 infection rates, the Berlin Senate has introduced stricter rules, which came into force on Saturday, November 27th. Here's what you need to know.

Published: 27 November 2021 16:16 CET
Updated: 29 November 2021 14:17 CET
A sign in front of a waxing studio in Berlin indicates the rule of the 2G system
A sign in front of a waxing studio indicates the rule of the 2G system with access only for fully vaccinated people and those who can show proof of recovery from Covid-19 as restrictions tighten in Berlin. STEFANIE LOOS / AFP

The Senate agreed on the tougher restrictions on Tuesday, November 23rd with the goal of reducing contacts and mobility, according to State Secretary of Health Martin Matz (SPD).

He explained after the meeting that these measures should slow the increase in Covid-19 infection rates, which was important as “the situation had, unfortunately, deteriorated over the past weeks”, according to media reports.

READ ALSO: Tougher Covid measures needed to stop 100,000 more deaths, warns top German virologist

Essentially, the new rules exclude from much of public life anyone who cannot show proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid-19. You’ll find more details of how different sectors are affected below.

Shops
If you haven’t been vaccinated or recovered (2G – geimpft (vaccinated) or genesen (recovered)) from Covid-19, then you can only go into shops for essential supplies, i.e. food shopping in supermarkets or to drugstores and pharmacies.

Many – but not all – of the rules for shopping are the same as those passed in the neighbouring state of Brandenburg in order to avoid promoting ‘shopping tourism’ with different restrictions in different states.

Leisure
2G applies here, too, as well as the requirement to wear a mask with most places now no longer accepting a negative test for entry. Only minors are exempt from this requirement.

Sport, culture, clubs
Indoor sports halls will off-limits to anyone who hasn’t  been vaccinated or can’t show proof of recovery from Covid-19. 2G is also in force for cultural events, such as plays and concerts, where there’s also a requirement to wear a mask. 

In places where mask-wearing isn’t possible, such as dance clubs, then a negative test and social distancing are required (capacity is capped at 50 percent of the maximum).

Restaurants, bars, pubs (indoors)
You have to wear a mask in all of these places when you come in, leave or move around. You can only take your mask off while you’re sat down. 2G rules also apply here.

Hotels and other types of accommodation 
Restrictions are tougher here, too, with 2G now in force. This means that unvaccinated people can no longer get a room, even if they have a negative test.

Hairdressers
For close-contact services, such as hairdressers and beauticians, it’s up to the service providers themselves to decide whether they require customers to wear masks or a negative test.

Football matches and other large-scale events
Rules have changed here, too. From December 1st, capacity will be limited to 5,000 people plus 50 percent of the total potential stadium or arena capacity. And only those who’ve been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 will be allowed in. Masks are also compulsory.

For the Olympic Stadium, this means capacity will be capped at 42,000 spectators and 16,000 for the Alte Försterei stadium. 

Transport
3G rules – ie vaccinated, recovered or a negative test – still apply on the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses in Berlin. It was not possible to tighten restrictions, Matz said, as the regulations were issued at national level.

According to the German Act on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, people have to wear a surgical mask or an FFP2 mask  on public transport.

Christmas markets
The Senate currently has no plans to cancel the capital’s Christmas markets, some of which have been open since Monday. 

According to Matz, 2G rules apply and wearing a mask is compulsory.

Schools and day-care
Pupils will still have to take Covid tests three times a week and, in classes where there are at least two children who test positive in the rapid antigen tests, then tests should be carried out daily for a week.  

Unlike in Brandenburg, there are currently no plans to move away from face-to-face teaching. The child-friendly ‘lollipop’ Covid tests will be made compulsory in day-care centres and parents will be required to confirm that the tests have been carried out. Day-care staff have to document the results.

What about vaccination centres?
Berlin wants to expand these and set up new ones, according to Matz. A new vaccination centre should open in the Ring centre at the end of the week and 50 soldiers from the German army have been helping at the vaccination centre at the Exhibition Centre each day since last week.

The capacity in the new vaccination centre in the Lindencenter in Lichtenberg is expected to be doubled. There are also additional vaccination appointments so that people can get their jabs more quickly. Currently, all appointments are fully booked well into the new year.

 

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