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GERMAN TRADITIONS

Why many German cities become a fireworks hell on NYE

Whether you're planning on setting them off yourself or leaving it to the professionals, here are the most important things to know about fireworks in Germany on New Year's Eve.

Why many German cities become a fireworks hell on NYE
Ringing in 2017 in Ilmenau, Thuringa. Photo: DPA

Anyone who has spent ‘Silvester’ (New Year’s Eve) in a German city will know that Germans love fireworks although recently, the issue of fireworks has been somewhat controversial, with some regions even considering a ban.

Germany is on the whole a pretty sensible country, but when the calendar rolls round to December 31st, something seems to change in the population and people go crazy for pyrotechnics.

This rings especially true in the capital, which many locals describe as a war zone come December 31st. Especially in the centre of the city, explosions ripple throughout the streets, which has led to several injuries in recent years and a ban on Böllern
(or firecrackers) in some zones.

READ ALSO:

People staying at home or hosting house parties often go all out with their own private firework displays, and you are sure to be surrounded by bangs and flashes from sundown to the early hours.

What’s more, wherever you walk on the 31st, people are setting off rockets from beer bottles, throwing firecrackers into the street and generally being every fireman’s worst nightmare.

The cause of this may be because this is the one time of year people in Germany can actually get their hands on fireworks.

Whereas small fireworks can be sold to people in Germany all year round, stores are only allowed to sell larger fireworks – the kind you’re likely to set off on Silvester – between December 28th and December 30th. The rest of the year you can only get them from certain licensed sellers.

What’s more – you’re only really allowed to set off fireworks yourself between the 31st of December and the morning of the 1st of January.

If you set them off any other time, you’re likely to get in trouble with the police, or worse, your German neighbours. 

But do not fear, firework lovers – there are ways you can get your fix during the other 364 days of the year.

If you’re organizing an event at another time – such as a wedding or 50th birthday party – that just wouldn’t be complete without a few Catherine wheels, you can ring your local law and order department to request official approval for a private firework display.

READ ALSO: Hamburg to ban fireworks in city centre on New Year’s Eve

There are also a huge number of spectacular professional firework displays and competitions you can attend every summer across Germany such as the Rhine in Flames, the international firework competition in Hanover, Neckar River and Heidelberg Castle illuminations and fireworks – to name but a few.

Heidelberg Castle Illuminations. Photo: DPA

Fireworks are divided into categories, or ‘Klasse’, depending on how much explosive they contain. This essentially means the bigger the bang, the harder they are to get a hold of.

Klasse 1 are the smallest and least explosive kinds of fireworks and can be bought by anyone over 12 years of age. These kinds of fireworks can also be bought and set off all year round. They are essentially pretty harmless, for example sparklers, table fireworks like small fountains for cakes, and bangers that just make a pop when thrown at the ground. 

Klasse 2 are the kind of fireworks you are likely to be setting off in your backyard this New Year’s Eve and you must be an adult and show ID to buy them. According to German law, Klasse 2 fireworks should not be launched in the immediate vicinity of hospitals, churches or old people’s homes. Apart from around these locations, you’re free to set off as many Klasse 2 fireworks as you’d like on December 31st. The rest of the year you will need to get a permit first before staging your own pyrotechnic display.

Klasse 3 are display fireworks meaning they are a little bigger, brighter and louder than what you’ll find on sale in the supermarket. While it would be fun to have these at your Silvester party, they can only be bought by people with an official § 7 or §27 SprengG license which you can apply for at your local occupational health and safety office.

Klasse 4 are professional grade fireworks and can contain an unlimited amount of explosives. Only professional pyro technicians can get their hands on these and for good reason, as they are definitely not something you want being set off on your patio. 

Photo: DPA

A huge number of department stores and supermarkets sell fireworks between the 29th and 31st of December each year.

This year, since the 29th falls on a Sunday, the sale of fireworks will begin on Saturday 28th December.

The Zoll, the German department for customs and imports, recommends that you buy your fireworks from a store rather than any kind of street vendor or the internet as store-bought fireworks are tested and must follow specific safety standards.

All fireworks sold in Germany should be in line with legal requirements but sometimes unofficial vendors manage to get their hands on illegally imported fireworks, which may not be up to standard. If you’re unsure it’s best to check that the box is labeled either Klasse 2 or Klasse 1 and has the word ‘BAM’ followed by a number.

Fireworks and New Year’s Eve go hand in hand but unfortunately this tradition comes with some less positive consequences. As well as the huge number of burns which people incur every year, fireworks also release large amounts of pollutants into the air which are harmful to the environment and can cause respiratory and circulatory problems.

After Silvester celebrations end, there are reported spikes in pollution levels in Germany.

Photo: DPA

After celebrations in 2016, firework displays ejected 4,000 tonnes of particulates into the atmosphere which is equivalent to 15 percent of the yearly vehicle particulate emissions in the country.

Levels of pollution in the air around Germany were up to 26 times higher than the EU’s recommended amount. The worst reading came from the centre of Munich where levels of particulates reached 1,346 micrograms per cubic metre of air, compared to the recommended 50 micrograms.

While it is undeniably a lot of fun to be the one launching the rockets, a more environmentally conscious alternative could be to head to a professional display instead.

Think of it as the firework equivalent to travelling by train instead of by car – it’s comparatively better for the planet and you don’t have to worry about causing an accident if you’re not paying attention – so you can just sit back and enjoy the ride. 

A Silvester party at Brandenburg Gate. Photo: DPA

Berlin is the place to be on New Year’s Eve if you’re looking for a spectacle. The city is often featured on top 10 Silvester celebration lists and the Brandenburg Gate hosts the biggest street party in Europe on the 31st, complete with DJ’s, food stalls, rides and of course an incredible firework display at midnight.

In Frankfurt, a great place to stand at midnight is on the banks of the river, where you can have a wonderful view of the fireworks being set off all over the city and reflecting in the water.

Wherever you are in Munich at midnight on the 31st, you are sure to see a lot of fireworks as the official displays in the city are accompanied by a lot of people setting off their own in the streets.

This article was updated in December 2019.

GERMAN TRADITIONS

From dancing bans to forbidden films: How strict are Germans over Easter?

Less than half of Germans are Christian, but dancing bans still apply on Good Friday - varying in severity between the country's 16 states. What are the rules, and how strictly are they followed?

From dancing bans to forbidden films: How strict are Germans over Easter?

Karfreitag (Easter Friday) is a controversial holiday in Germany. For many it is one of the most important days of the year, commemorating the suffering and death of Jesus.

For others, it is a day of outdated bans – after all, less than half of Germany’s population is Christian. And among those who are, it’s questionable just how religious they are.

READ ALSO: German word of the day: Karfreitag

In Germany, Sundays and public holidays are protected by law as “days of rest and spiritual elevation”. Hence, most shops remain closed.

But then there are also “silent holidays” such as Good Friday, for which there are usually strict regulations. What exactly applies on Easter Friday is defined by the laws of the different states.

READ ALSO: What’s open in Germany over Easter weekend?

Patchwork of rules

In Bavaria, for example, sporting events and “musical performances of any kind in rooms with bars” are prohibited, the state’s Ministry of the Interior told DPA.

Public entertainment events are only permitted “if the serious character appropriate to [the holy day] is maintained”. Holiday peace and quiet should not be disturbed in other ways, especially near churches.

Many states have similar rules, but they differ significantly in the details.

For example, breaking a rule in Bavaria can result in a fine of up to €10,000. In Berlin, violations are punished with a maximum fine of €1,000, but in most cases it is significantly less.

There are also big differences when it comes to the ban on dancing. In Bavaria, this applies from Gründonnerstag (Maundy Thursday) to Holy Saturday. In Berlin the rules are handled more loosely: the dancing ban only applies from 4 am to 9 pm on Easter Friday, as the Interior Senate administration announced.

In Hamburg, the dancing ban will be relaxed further this year. While last year there was a 24-hour ban on dancing starting from 2 am on Karfreitag, this year it applies from 5 am on to midnight – five hours shorter, as the Senate Chancellery announced. 

Dancing bans affect many discos

Dance bans generally affect many clubs.

So it comes as little surprise that the Association of German Discotheques (BDT) is fundamentally against dance bans: “A dance ban encroaches on the entrepreneurial freedom of the discotheque industry and forces it to restrict operations or shut down completely, even though there is demand,” the association told DPA.

The BDT added that the lack of nationwide uniform regulations is unfair to businesses in certain regions: “It should not be the case that some companies have to record massive losses in sales due to the dancing ban and others benefit from it.”

The Berlin Club Commission also suggests that dance bans are a “disproportionate restriction on freedom as cultural institutions”.

The BDT reports that the dance ban is enforced through random checks by the public order offices.

Private celebrations are not generally subject to the ban, but depending on the volume – and depending on the state regulations – they can ultimately be considered a violation of the holiday rules.

Bans on cinema

Additionally, certain films are not allowed to be shown in cinemas on silent holidays. However, there are no restrictions for television and streaming services, according to the Self-Regulatory Body of the Film Industry (FSK).

The FSK decides which film does not receive a so-called holiday release. “The regulations in the state laws go back to provisions from the Weimar Republic, so they come from a time when films could only be seen in cinemas,” said the FSK.

However, a lot has changed since then – in the films and the specifications. While in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s over half of all feature films were classified as “non-holiday-free”, the percentage fell continuously to a third in the 1980s and only 3.8 percent in the 1990s.

As of 2000, the proportion of feature films not released on public holidays was one percent or less.

“So far in 2024 there has not been a cinema film without a public holiday release,” said the FSK. In 2023, out of 643 films tested, only one (“Evil Dead Rise”) did not receive a holiday release.

Prominent examples of films that were not released include “The Life of Brian” (1980) and “The Knights of the Coconut” (1976).

a cross displayed as Easter service

Pilgrims follow the service on the cathedral square during the Erfurt diocesan pilgrimage. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Michael Reichel

Respectful or outdated?

There are many Easter Friday rules and, different ones from state to state. Are so many complicated and unequal regulations still in keeping with the times, especially in view of the continuing decline in church membership?

For the Berlin Interior Senate administration, apparently yes: the rules correspond to a fundamentally Christian character, they say. In addition, the interests of different population groups are taken into account by limiting the duration of the bans and the possibility of exceptions.

In heavily Christian Bavaria, where the crucifix is ​​mandatory in public buildings, the Interior Ministry underlines the relevance of the rules: “Protection on Sundays and public holidays is a very important concern for the Bavarian state government.” 

The discotheque association sees it differently, dubbing the rules as “outdated and unfair”.

The FSK also considers film bans to be outdated: “From today’s perspective, the legal restrictions on films in cinemas on silent holidays are hardly understandable.”

So what’s on for Friday?

Quiet holiday or not, in some places Germans are defiant against dancing bans, even scheduling publicly promoted dance parties.

Many of Berlin’s clubs, for example, see the four-day Easter weekend as a chance to host parties for up to 96 hours. 

According to posts on Resident Advisor, Berlin’s infamous Berghain/Panorama Bar will be opening as usual on Friday night — as will KitKatClub for a queer kink rave.

Events at a few other clubs will even open as early as Thursday night, allowing attendees to potentially dance all the way through Friday and into the weekend.

In Munich, at least one party is scheduled to start on Friday at Rote Sonne from 11pm until 8am Saturday.

In Leipzig, an event at Elipamanoke will kick off at 11:59pm on Friday. 

Perhaps due to the legal restrictions, there are currently no parties posted on Resident Advisor for Friday in other major cities in Germany, including Cologne, Düsseldorf and Frankfurt – cities which have previously slapped fines on residents for breaking the ban. But in each city a handful of parties are planned for Saturday.

But even here, you can probably find a place to dance if you ask around.

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