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FRANKFURT

What’s on in Germany: May 6 – 12

This Week's Highlights: A new park opens at Berlin's Tempelhof Airport, Hamburg holds a big birthday bash for it's celebrated port, and Nathalie Merchant plays Cologne.

Published: 6 May 2010 10:03 CEST
What's on in Germany: May 6 - 12
Photo: DPA

BERLIN

Events

Tempelhof Park Grand Opening

A year-and-a-half after the engines stopped roaring over Tempelhof Airport, Berlin’s newest park opens on that historic field. With boule games, soccer matches, nature walks, and gymnastics displays, the opening day festivities promise hours of athletic excitement for all ages. On Sunday, colorful kites fill the air where “Raisin Bombers” once dropped their sweet cargo.

Price: Free

Location: Tempelhof Airfield, entrances on Columbiadamm, Oderstrasse and S-Bahnhof Tempelhof

Times: Saturday, May 8, 9am-6pm; Sunday, May 9, 10am-6pm

More Information: www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de

Music/Concerts

Berghain Electro-acoustic Salon

American composer Phill Niblock and Dutch saxophonist Thomas Ankersmit have worked together for nearly a decade. Joined by the laptop, bass, electric guitar, tuba, and percussion of the Arnold Dreyblatt Ensemble, the duo kicks off a programme of interesting blips, glitches, and multiphonics, Thursday night. DJ sets by Efdemin and Jens Balzer follow the live performances.

Price: TBD

Location: Berghain, Wriezener Bahnhof

Times: Thursday, May 6, 8pm

Phone: 030 2936 0210

More Information: www.berghain.de

COLOGNE

Music/Concerts

Natalie Merchant

The 10,000 Maniacs queen’s latest solo album Leave Your Sleep is as lovely as you had hoped it would be. How couldn’t it be, with a voice like that? Ms. Merchant kicks off the German leg of her tour Wednesday night in Cologne.

Price: €24

Location: Kulturkirche, Siebachstrasse 85

Times: Wednesday, May 12, 8pm

Tickets: 022 733 700

More Information: www.nataliemerchant.com

DÜSSELDORF

Galleries/Museums

Le Grand Geste! Artists in New York in the 1950s

Author Vincent Katz knows a thing or two about art. In 1998, he curated the first Rudy Burckhardt museum retrospective at the Institute of Modern Art in Valencia, and has written essays on the likes of Cy Twombly. On Thursday, Katz talks about “artists in New York around 1950” in association with the exhibition “Le Grand Geste!”

Price: €5 (Just the talk); €10 (Talk and exhibition)

Location: Museum Kunst Palast, Ehrenhof 4-5

Times: Thursday, May 6, 7pm

Phone: 0211 899 0200

More Information: www.smkp.de

Long Night of TV & iPhone Concert

Düsseldorf’s annual Long Night of Museums event is Saturday, and the NRW-Forum is taking it into the digital realm. Some of Germany’s most popular bloggers host the “Long Night of TV,” while the duo ZEE. Zaboura Eichstaedt Experience perform on their mobiles in the iPhone lounge.

Price: €12 (allows entrance to all participating museums)

Location: NRW-Forum, Ehrenhof 2

Times: Saturday, May 8, 7pm-2am

Phone: 0211 89 266 90

More Information: www.nrw-forum.de/

FRANKFURT

Music/Concerts

George Dalagas

He’s a Greek superstar and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. Be seduced by the bouzouki Saturday night when George Dalagas takes the stage in Frankfurt.

Price: €33 – 58

Location: Jahrhunderthalle, Pfaffenwiese

Times: Saturday, May 8, 8pm

Ticket Hotline: 0180 5360 1240 (.14/Min.)

More Information: www.jahrhunderthalle.de

HAMBURG

Events

Hamburg Harbour Birthday Celebration

The great port of Hamburg may be young at heart, but this year the famed Hanseatic waterway turns 821-years-old. A parade of ships, tugboat ballet, dragon boat race, and fireworks display all make this birthday fiesta one you won’t want to miss, but the big highlight of this year’s bash is the premiere of “PlanetSolar,” the largest solar powered boat in the world.

Price: Free

Location: Hamburg Harbour

Times: Friday, May 7 – Sunday, May 9

More Information: www.hamburg-tourism.de

Hamburg Golf Week

Time to tee off in Hamburg. Five courses – Golf Club St. Dionys, Green Eagle, Gut Waldhof, Golf & Country Club am Hockenburg, and Gut Kaden Golf & Country Club – are all participating in this week-long golf extravaganza. Putt around some of Germany’s most picturesque courses this week.

Price: Various

Location: Various

Times: Monday, May 10 – Friday, May 14

More Information: www.hamburg-spielt-golf.de

MUNICH

Theatre

“Jumping Jasper,” “Norma’s Scent,” and “The Exception and the Rule”

The Entity Theater stages two plays by Yair Packer, a screenwriter, playwright, and children’s book author, alongside Bertolt Brecht’s “The Exception and the Rule,” this weekend. Witness some fine drama while pondering relationships among strangers.

Price: €15

Location: Theater… Und So Fort, Kurfürstenstrasse 8

Times: Friday, May 7 – Sunday, May 9, 8pm

Tickets: 089 2321 9877

More Information: www.entitytheatre.com

Music/Concerts

Long Night of Music

From Byzantine choirs to funk bands, Gamelan collectives, to jazz quartets, the Bavarian capital will be resounding with music from around the globe Saturday. Sit among a quiet audience and listen, or groove along with fellow revellers on the dance floor. It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.

Price: €15

Location: Various

Times: Saturday, May 8, 8pm – 3am

Phone: 089 5481 8181

More Information: www.muenchner.de

STUTTGART

Film

International Trickfilm Festival – Festival of Animated Film

Cartoons aren’t just for kids. Filmgoers of all ages with an appreciation for animation will delight in movies like “Toy Story” in 3D. Animators and screenwriters from around the world will be on hand to share the tricks of the trade. Check out the Festival Garden for free open-air screenings and workshops in the activity tent.

Price: €8 (Single ticket), €15 (Evening ticket, after 6pm), €20 (Day ticket), €77 (Festival pass)

Location: Various

Phone: 0711 925 46 123

Times: Tuesday, May 4 – Sunday, May 9

More Information: www.itfs.de

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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