In view of the increasing number of corona infections, restaurateurs, showmen and traders fear for business and livelihoods. Several municipalities have since canceled their Christmas markets: including Rosenheim, Bad Füssing and the Fürth district. The district of Miesbach generally advises municipalities and private providers to delete “all markets”. Not only the Bavarian Trade Association is now expecting a “domino effect”. The cancellations are understandable, says a spokesman, “but we were hoping for a reasonably normal Christmas”. The development hits the stall operators particularly hard. Because of the Corona crisis, a number of markets and festivals have already been canceled.
Many colleagues therefore had to take out loans, reports Wenzel Bradac, President of the National Association of Market Merchants and Showmen. “They won’t get another one.” Bradac fears that 30 to 40 percent of the companies could go bankrupt if the industry were to lose Christmas markets as a source of income. The state aid is basically in order, but is not enough; Instead, Hartz IV threatens. And the state government refuses to pay an entrepreneur’s wages – as Baden-Württemberg pays self-employed people as a kind of basic income.
Elsewhere, despite the infection, people hold onto Christmas markets for the time being: in Nuremberg, for example. “We don’t even think about canceling our Christkindlesmarkt,” says the city’s economic advisor Michael Fraas (CSU). There shouldn’t be an opening with thousands of guests, but a live broadcast of the Christ Child. The market also takes place, unlike otherwise, decentrally on four old town squares. In the Budengassen on the main market – this time with a width of six instead of three meters – you can switch to a “one-way system” if necessary, says Fraas.
And the serving of mulled wine is more or less separated from what is happening on the market, so that excesses can be controlled there if necessary. One is prepared for any tightening. Fraas understands the cancellation of the Landfürth: There they usually only hold their market in the small towns on a weekend or day, it is crowded and possibly tight, the pandemic precautions have to be implemented primarily by volunteers.
Health Minister Holetschek wants to “monitor the situation closely”
However, the decision about the Christkindlesmarkt could soon be taken out of hand in Nuremberg. Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) recently said that “the situation must be closely monitored”. The concept that he presented with Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (FW) in mid-October is still valid. One advantage of the markets is the open air, but the decision could still fluctuate again. He would “leave a little bit of sight to drive as long as possible in order to keep an eye on this really critical situation in the intensive care units”. Which certainly doesn’t make sense: “Outside the stalls are open and mulled wine and inside the people are struggling to survive.” Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) said on Thursday that the topic should be discussed next week in the conference of prime ministers. As in other areas “we need uniform regulations in Germany” – “mask at least”.
Florian Müller, on the other hand, wants clear announcements straight away. “There is simply great uncertainty,” says the host of the Bamberg “Ahörnla” and deputy district chairman of the hotel and restaurant association Dehoga. Many Christmas parties have been canceled and tourists are absent. The industry will certainly notice these losses, but how much cannot yet be estimated. What is needed now is a “reliable system,” says Müller: Politicians shouldn’t constantly make adjustments, but should set binding guidelines once. Instead, she constantly tries not to alienate anyone.
The SPD parliamentary group in the state parliament also called for more “planning security” on Thursday in an urgency motion: The state government should explain the conditions under which Christmas markets could take place. Other federal states with lower incidence values have already made clear decisions, said health policy spokeswoman Ruth Waldmann. “It is now high time for Bavaria.”