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FRANKFURT

What’s on in Germany: March 29 – April 4

This Week's Highlights: Dinner on a Baltic beach, a spring festival in Berlin, and French singer SoKo steps up to the mic in Cologne.

Published: 29 March 2012 12:07 CEST
What's on in Germany: March 29 – April 4
Photo: DPA

BERLIN

Festivals

Berlin Spring Festival

Spring is in the air! And so are swirling swings, Ferris wheels, and other exciting airborne rides. Berlin’s Spring Festival starts Friday at the Central Festival Square near Tegel Airport. If you don’t go for the rides, go for the bratwurst and beer. Kids will enjoy Wednesdays when rides are half price, and fireworks fans should head over this Saturday night.

Price: Free

Location: Zentraler Festplatz, Kurt-Schumacher-Damm

Times: Monday – Thursday, 3-10pm; Friday, 3-11pm; Saturday, 2-11pm; Sunday, noon-10pm; March 30 – April 22

More Information: www.schaustellerverband-berlin.de

Opera

Berlin State Opera Festival Days

The curtain rises on 11 days of exceptional opera in Berlin this week. Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” sets the festival off on a grand start Friday night, followed by a new production of Alban Berg’s “Lulu,” which premieres Saturday. Mark your appointment books for an evening of intense theatrical drama.

Price: Various

Location: Staatsoper in the Schiller Theater, Bismarckstrasse 110

Times: Friday, March 30 – Monday, April 9

Tickets: 030 20 35 45 55

More Information: www.staatsoperberlin.de

Galleries/Museums

Exhibition Opening – my.LA

Barbara and Axel Haubrok have amassed quite a trove of contemporary art over the last 20 some years. You can check out their collection on Saturdays when they open their gallery to the public. But if you’re around Thursday, stop in for the opening reception for the new exhibition “my.LA,” featuring, you guessed it, works by Los Angeles artists. Don’t miss the piece by the important American artist Eleanor Antin.

Price: €6

Location: Sammlung Haubrok, Strausberger Platz 19


Times: Saturday, noon-6pm (regular hours); Thursday, March 29, 7-9pm (opening)

Phone: 0172 210 95 25

More Information: www.sammlung-haubrok.de

COLOGNE

Film

Mall Girls

Teenagers. What an odd bunch. Polish filmmaker Katarzyna Roslaniec got to know a subculture of girls who hang out in malls around Warsaw and made a movie about their surprisingly corrupt lives. See Mall Girls with English subtitles Friday.

Price: Free

Location: Filmforum at Museum Ludwig,
Bischofsgartenstrasse 1

Times: Friday, March 30, 7pm

Phone: 0221 221 24498

More Information: www.filmforumnrw.de

Music/Concerts

SoKo

The French gamine has been running up the rungs of the success ladder for a decade now. Finally, SoKo released her debut album last month and I Thought I Was an Alien is as lovable as she is in its own honest/depressed kind of way. See the singer sing lines like “’cause soon enough we’ll die” and “I’ll kill her” in her cute French accent Tuesday in Cologne.

Price: €14

Location: Gebäude 9, Deutz-Mülheimer Strasse 127-129

Times: Tuesday, April 3, 8pm

Phone: 0221 814637

More Information: www.gebaeude9.de

DÜSSELDORF

Dance

Flamenco Festival

Succumb to the beat of the castanets. It’s Flamenco time in Düsseldorf. Some of Spain’s most passionate dancers perform to live music this week at Tanzhaus NRW. There’s also plenty of workshops for you aspiring musicians and dancers, and an exhibition featuring works by photographer Boris de Bonn.

Price: Various

Times: Friday, March 30 – Monday, April 9

Location: Tanzhaus NRW, Erkrather Strasse 30

Phone: 0211 172700

More Information: www.tanzhaus-nrw.de

HAMBURG

Events

Place de la Creativité – Variété Liberté

Art is often made behind closed doors. That’s cool, we understand that artists need their personal space. But this weekend, Christoph Ziegler, Gabriela LaPacheca, Martin Wojciechowski, and Tintin Patrone are going public. The four artists will be making art in an exciting space called “Karoline,” among a cultural program that includes live music, DJs, poetry slams, a music-mixing workshop, and an art walk. Go for the creative vibe during the day and stay for the after dark dance party.

Price: Free

Times: Wednesday, March 28 – Saturday, March 31, 2pm-midnight

Location: Karoline, Karolinenstrasse 45

More Information: www.placedelacreativite.de

LINDAU

Galleries/Museums

Marc Chagall

During World War II Marc Chagall fled to the United States. Once peace was restored to the European continent, the artist set up a studio in the south of France. Smart guy. On Sunday, Chagall’s postwar works go on view in the Lake Constance town Lindau. See selected gouaches and watercolours by the great Russian painter then go sip an apero by the lake in honour of his 125th birthday.

Price: €7.50

Times: Monday – Sunday, 10am-6pm; April 1 – August 19

Location: Lindau Stadtmuseum, Marktplatz 6

Phone: 083 8294 4073

More Information: www.kultur-lindau.de

MUNICH

Dance/Theatre

Pilobolus – Shadowland

That talented bunch of shadow dancers “Pilobulus” is coming to Munich. Get your tickets, take your seats, and be enchanted by the transformation of human figures into the most sensational shapes while you follow the tale of an imaginative young girl’s coming of age.

Price: €29-59

Location: Prinzregententheater, Prinzregentenplatz 12

Times: Tuesday, April 3 – Monday, April 9

Box office: 089 2185 2899

More Information: www.prinzregententheater.de

Theatre

She Stoops to Conquer

The Guardian said National Theatre Live’s production of She Stoops to Conquer “leaves the theatre echoing with the sound of the audience’s happiness.” Want to get happy? Head to Cinema Filmtheater Thursday when the Jamie Lloyd’s update of the 18th century Oliver Goldsmith play broadcasts live on the big screen.

Price: €18

Location: Cinema Filmtheater, Nymphenburger Strasse 31

Times: Thursday, March 29, 8pm

Phone: 089 55 52 55

More Information: www.cinema-muenchen.com

TIMMENDORFER STRAND

Events

Beach Dining

Feel that warm spring sun? Makes you want to head to the beach doesn’t it? Here’s an idea. Hightail it to Timmendorfer Strand this weekend for some seafront dining. Local chefs will be doing their thing under a big tent at the memorable and delicious open-air affair. The Baltic beach town is just a quick drive from Hamburg. Go Saturday to hear hits from the 1960s while you chow down.

Price: TBD

Location: Maritim Seebrücke, Timmendorfer Strand

Times: Tuesday, April 3 – Monday, April 9

Phone: 04503 35770

More Information: www.timmendorfer-strand.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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