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Women’s Day 2020: Where to celebrate ‘Frauentag’ in Berlin

Berlin will be honouring its second 'Frauentag' as a public holiday on Sunday, March 8th. Whether through arts or activism, here's our list of where to celebrate.

Published: 6 March 2020 13:43 CET
Updated: 8 March 2020 13:43 CET
Women's Day 2020: Where to celebrate 'Frauentag' in Berlin
Photo: DPA

Last year, Berlin’s parliament voted to establish International Women’s Day (IWD) as a public holiday across the state.

This year’s Frauentag falls on a Sunday – meaning many women (and men) have the day off work anyways. Yet there are still plenty of reasons to celebrate.

READ ALSO: What you should know about Frauentag, Berlin’s newest public holiday

From film, to activism, to well-being, we have put together a list of top events to fill your weekend with all things IWD!

And fear not, Berlin residents: you’ll get a public holiday just for this year on Friday, May 8th. 

Activism

“It is not a party. It is a fight”: under this slogan, Berliners will be taking to the streets on Sunday to protest for the rights of all women around the world – with the particular focus on refugee women and their children.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about women’s rights in Germany

Organised by the Alliance of Internationalist Feminists, the event will start at Warschauer Straße at 3pm, culminating at a celebration in Kreuzberg. 

Exhibitions

On Sunday, Berlin’s Bode Museum is holding a photo exhibition posing the provocative question: “Must women be either naked or virgin to enter a museum”.

Open between 2-4 pm, the event will give visitors the opportunity to ask themselves that exact question, while pointing them towards specific women-oriented pieces within the museum. 

Film 

Running between March 5-9th, the seventh annual Berlin Feminist Film Week (BFFW) is an IWD event not to be missed.

BFFW pays tribute to all of the inspiring female filmmakers who challenge the hegemony within the industry.

As women, people of colour and queer filmmakers are underrepresented on all fronts of film making, such portrayals are crucial in creating a more equal future.

On IWD itself, the city’s Sputnik Kino will also host a selection of films for and by women. Der Internationale Frauentag im Sputnik Kino will feature films such ‘Marie Curie – Radioactive’ and ‘In Pause’ between 12:45-11:45pm on Sunday.

International Women’s Day Berlin: Participants in a demonstration on IWD walk through Mitte in 2019. Photo: DPA

Music and Parties

Pan Africa, the BBW’s International Women’s Day Party on Saturday at 7pm, invites women of all cultural and professional backgrounds to “toast to women’s month and solidarity amongst women”.

With musicians hailing from Tokyo, poets from Berlin and female DJs from across the globe, there is definitely something for all women at this event. 

Flint Party in Kreuzberg has been organised in association with the ‘It is not a party. It is a fight.’ protest, and grants free admission to all women, trans, intersex and non-binary people.

Sporting Activities

If you fancy getting out and about this weekend then the International Women’s Day Run is happening on Saturday at 10am.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Berliners on what Women’s Day means to them

Women are being invited to run in solidarity with Mogadishu Marathon as a 5km, 10km or 21km in memory of Somolia Olympic runner Samia Yusuf Omar, who drowned attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in 2008 as a refugee. The event is free, but a €5 donation is encouraged.

Another event to get your blood pumping and round off IWD is the International Women’s Day with ride.Berlin X lululemon, taking place between 5-6pm on Sunday evening. 

Wellbeing 

On Saturday March 7th, John and Jane’s are hosting Tap into your female power! – Women’s Day Special in the Soulbase.

The event includes a woman-only yoga session, breaks with snacks and – last but not least – a talk about female empowerment and femininity. The workshop will, however, be held in German!

Keramino, an arts and crafts centre on the outskirts of Berlin, is hosting a Frauentag Special between 12-4pm on Sunday. They are opening their ceramic painting studio for women to celebrate with their grandmothers, mothers, mothers-in-law, sisters and daughters. Men and boys are also welcome!

If you know of any other events you would like to see included, email us at [email protected].

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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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