SHARE
COPY LINK

FRANKFURT

What’s on in Germany: September 9 – 15

This Week's Highlights: A weekend of art in Munich, Hamburg celebrates China, and the Berlin Festival lands at Tempelhof Airport.

What's on in Germany: September 9 - 15
Photo: Berlin Festival 2009, Simon Chrzanowski

GERMANY

Events

Day of Open Monuments

From the palaces of Saxony to the churches of Bavaria, monuments throughout Germany open to the public this Sunday. Pay your respects to fallen communists at the Karl-Liebknecht-Haus in Berlin, stroll peacefully past art nouveau tombstones at Bremen’s Riensberger Friedhof, or tour Baden-Baden’s 16th century city hall. The opportunities are endless.

Price: Free

Location: Throughout Germany

Times: Sunday, September 12

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

BERLIN

Galleries/Museums

Yoko Ono – Das Gift

Conceptual, instruction-based art has been Yoko Ono’s forte for over half a century. Her latest installation “Das Gift” incorporates sculpture, sound, film, and of course a few directions that compels the viewer to consider violence on a global level. Peer through a bullet hole shot into a pane of glass, then flash your pearly whites for the camera in a special room reserved just for smiles.

Price: Free

Location: Haunch of Venison, Heidestrasse 46

Times: Tuesday – Saturday, 11am-6pm; September 10 – November 13

Phone: 030 39 74 39 63

More Information: www.haunchofvenison.com

Floodwall – Drawers Speak – New Orleans Five Years Later

In the weeks after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans artist Jana Napoli spent two months rescuing hundreds of drawers from the ruins of her city. Three hundred eighty of them form her installation “Floodwall,” an eight-foot wall that pays tribute to the thousands of residents who lost their homes. Contemplate the exhibition’s kitchen, night stand, bathroom, and dresser drawers, and take a moment to discover the personal histories of each one.

Price: Free

Location: The Kurier Ship, various locations along the Spree River.

Times: Friday, September 10 – October 15

More Information: www.floodwall.org

Music/Concerts

Berlin Festival

Fatboy Slim, LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, Gang of Four and more all head to Berlin’s landmark former airport Tempelhof for this two-day music festival! No need to fear the rain either, as even outdoor concert stages will be set up on the tarmac right next to the old terminal.

Price: Friday or Saturday €50 or €70 for both days

Location: Tempelhof Airport

Times: Friday, September 10 – Saturday, September 11

More Information: www.berlinfestival.de

Potsdam Jazz Festival

Set off for the royal city of Potsdam this week for one of the region’s most vibrant jazz festivals. Groups like Sonic.Art, the Portico Quartet, and the Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra tune up for a feverish five-day event. Take to the waters with Saturday’s “Riverboat-Shuffle,” and bring the wee ones Sunday when Sabine Vogel and Alex Nowitz play jazz for kids.

Price: Various

Location: Various

Times: Wednesday, September 8 – Sunday, September 12

More Information: www.potsdamer-jazzfestival.de

BONN

Music/Concerts

Beethoven Festival

Everybody loves Beethoven, but the people of Bonn hold a special place in their hearts for good old Ludwig – he was born here after all – and Bonn’s Beethoven Festival devotes an entire month to the mammoth maestro. Get ready for a classical storm of epic proportions.

Price: Various

Location: Various

Times: Friday, September 10 – October 9

Phone: 0228 20 10 345 (information); 0180 500 18 12 (tickets)

More Information: en.beethovenfest.de

DRESDEN

Galleries/Museums

The Young Vermeer

What came before “Girl With a Pearl Earring”? Well, there was “Girl Reading a Letter by an Open Window,” “Diana and Her Companions,” and “The Procuress.” See these three early works alongside a selection by the Dutch master’s contemporaries at Dresden’s Old Masters Picture Gallery.

Price: €10

Location: Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Theaterplatz 1

Times: Tuesday – Sunday, 10am-6pm; through November 28

Phone: 0351 4 91 42 000

More Information: en.beethovenfest.de

FRANKFURT

Events

Run For More Time

You can run, or you can walk. Either way, your efforts go toward a good cause – ending AIDS. The five kilometre route traverses Frankfurt’s city centre. Join in and devote a day to health.

Price: Donation

Location: Opernplatz

Times: Sunday, September 12, 5pm

More Information: lauf-fuer-mehr-zeit.de

HAMBURG

Festivals

China Time 2010

Bet you didn’t know that Hamburg and China were BFFs. Every two years since 2006, the Free Hanseatic City has hosted an extensive festival devoted to its Far East friend. But this isn’t your typical arts and culture bash. Those categories are included of course, but revellers with an inclination toward politics, science, sports, and economics can also be ensured of a good time.

Price: Free

Location: Various

Times: Thursday, September 9 – September 25

More Information: chinatime-english.hamburg.de

Harbourfront Literature Festival

Hamburg’s harbour has seen its fair share of fun and games this summer. This week the famed waterway dons its intellectual hat. Authors like John Grisham, John Irving, José Saramago, Yann Martel, Karin Slaughter, Günther Grass and Brigitte Kronauer headline a program of 87 literary events at over 20 venues.

Price: Various

Location: Various

Times: Wednesday, September 8 – Saturday, September 18

More Information: www.harbourfront-hamburg.com

MUNICH

Events

Open Art

Painting, photography, sculpture oh my! New art is blossoming all over Munich, and this is the weekend to take it all in. Dozens of art galleries and museums fling open their doors for this city-wide event. Hit up as many as you can, then dance the night away at Friday night’s Club Palais after party.

Price: Free

Location: Various (main event); Club Palais, Arnulfstrasse 16-18 (after party)

Times: Friday, September 10, 6-9pm; Saturday, September 11, 11am-6pm; Sunday, September 12, 11am-6pm; Friday, September 10, 10pm (after party)

More Information: www.openart.biz

Festivals

Streetlife Festival

Do you know what it feels like to dance in the streets? Learn the samba at this year’s Streetlife Festival in Munich. The exuberant weekend includes beach rugby, skateboarding, and lots of live music. With an eye towards environmentalism, the festival is car free!

Price: Free

Location: Leopoldstrasse and Ludwigstrasse

Times: Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, September 12

More Information: www.streetlife-festival.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.

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.

 

SHOW COMMENTS