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Munich is back in control of its crown numbers in no time, while new infections are on the rise in Berlin and there is actionism. How the Bavarian capital took action and how the rest of the republic could benefit from the experience.
It is Wednesday, October 7 at 3:55 pm, Munich. Sendlinger Tor underground station, a very busy public transport hub between Stachus, Marienplatz and Isar. Eight Munich subway lines cross here. Many things are happening. Much that afternoon.
In Munich, the mask requirement is strictly enforced.
But nothing progresses in the U8. She remains standing for a few minutes. The driver makes an announcement: “U-Bahnwache, please go to the first car!”, Echoes through the catacombs. In neon yellow and blue uniforms, two security officers rush to the head of the train and call out a man. Apparently, he refused to wear a mask. And thus ignoring the ubiquitous measure of protection against the insidious corona virus.
But that is not approved and now also punished. It is an observation that runs through the entire crisis of the Crown: in Munich masks are used. Collective. And this wherever politicians demand it, sometimes with regulations that are changed weekly.
With this strict mask requirement on local public transport, in restaurants and shops, including a fine of more than 250 euros per violation, the Munich-based company managed to control the recent increase in new Covid-19 infections.
The weather drove people out, the numbers increased
A look back: on Thursday September 17, the Bavarian capital decided to tighten protection measures. The crown’s numbers had skyrocketed, as health department polls and city announcements showed. The 7-day incidence increased in a few days from around 35 to 45 and finally briefly to more than 55. Surprising: In the previous days, it had been hot again in late summer.
And it is part of the Munich resident’s image of himself to go outside in hot weather: to Gärtnerplatz in Glockenbachviertel, on the banks of the Isar between Reichenbachbrücke in the Deutsches Museum and Flauchersteg in Thalkirchen, to the picturesque Odeonsplatz, to the English Garden between Maxvorstadt and Schwabing. Hundreds of thousands of locals stroll through their city, which they say they love so much. “Mia san mia” sends his regards.
Sign at Viktualienmarkt: In this and other central squares in Munich, a mask is required during the day and at night. (Source: Sammy Minkoff / imago images)
The city stayed tough
This love was put to the test on September 17. To put it in perspective: two days later it would have been the Oktoberfest tapping, the day that Munich residents often take their dirndls and lederhosen out of the closet by the thousands. Oktoberfest was canceled months ago. Visibly hunched over, Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) announced even stricter crown measures. You have to know that Reiter is considered sociable, “he really wanted to take advantage of the first barrel”, as he said in an interview.
But the city remained tough. On Saturday, September 19, the police were patrolling in great numbers below Bavaria; spontaneous celebrations should be avoided. By blanket decree, the administration issued an alcohol ban for Theresienwiese, the actual site of the Oktoberfest. In addition, the sale of alcohol was not allowed anywhere in the city between Friday night at 9 p.m. and Sunday morning at 6 a.m. Even more: alcohol was not allowed in public spaces between 11 p.m. and 6 am
The curfew apparently had an effect
Between September 24 and September 31, Reiter limited the number of people who can sit at a table in the restaurant to five. The city discouraged meetings in private rooms with more than 10 people.
Curious: on September 24, when the new regulation went into effect for seven days, the 7-day incidence in Munich had dropped to 42.47 according to the health department. The Wirtshauswiesn, announced by the city with great commitment, took place anyway, but on a smaller scale. The well-known Nockherberg closed his huge brewery on short notice, in which festivities with rules of distance (and strong beer) were actually planned. On the first Wirtshauswiesn weekend, photos and videos of the bustling Viktualienmarkt or a trendy beer garden in the English Garden proved that one likes to exclude the other.
Outdoor mask and alcohol prohibition.
In particular, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) had persistently lobbied Munich for weeks. Reiter also issued a mask requirement for Marienplatz, Sendlinger Straße shopping street, and Viktualienmarkt – that is, for places on the city map where many people often gather. The requirement has now been lifted, but many citizens continue to wear the mask there on the narrow streets.
The prohibition of alcohol, on the other hand, was a means that had already come into force in the previous weeks. Some restaurateurs have not started selling on the street since the corona pandemic; After the closure, many more makeshift bar areas were created on the sidewalks. But again they were the losers. The authorities took particularly strict measures around Gärtnerplatz, where the Munich police temporarily searched 1,500 people (mostly young people) in a single roundabout on the warm summer nights of July and August.
Citizens tolerated action
It had already gotten really spectacular here on August 27: a police helicopter flew for hours over Isarvorstadt, where the modern Glockenbachviertel is located. The so-called USK units cleared the Baldeplatz on the Isar and Gärtnerplatz, and with them the celebratory hot spots, at full throttle and with a crew (and with enough distance?). It remained largely peaceful.
Also because citizens largely tolerate the measures. For example, FC Bayern’s Allianz Arena and Grünwalder Stadium were left empty in TSV 1860’s home games, while in other German stadiums they played in front of (limited) spectators for a long time. Discos and clubs have been closed for months, music festivals and concerts are banned. The result: On Tuesday, October 6, the 7-day incidence fell to 32.48.
Controversy is inevitable
In the Bavarian capital, it is natural to do many things well. But it is also true that this is not always the case. This is also shown in the Sendlinger Tor example. The heavily frequented subway station is like a major construction site. Specifically: New escalators are being installed on the stairs and Munich residents are crammed into the steps next to it. Do you keep your distance? Impossible!
However, Munich, Germany, serves as a role model for the management of the Corona crisis in many respects, demonstrating a polarizing debate: this is why pub gardens, which are popular with many citizens, are decorated with flowers and decorations in the restaurants in the parking lots of the area from the 1930s, until winter. That annoys the drivers. Instead, the city even advises installing large-scale patio heaters so guests can entertain themselves outside during the cold season. That, in turn, annoys environmentalists. But in Munich everything has long been subordinate to Corona.
