Sunshine and Corona: Easter 2020 in Berlin
Many Berliners enjoyed sunshine over Easter, even though the Christian holiday was overshadowed by the one problem nobody can escape from: the Corona crisis. Our reporter was outdoors every day since Friday. He returned with photos and a video.
In great weather, Berliners just had to be outdoors. They mostly went in pairs or with their children. Police did step in whenever groups gathered. On Saturday and Sunday alone, officers initiated proceedings in 227 cases, for offenses, and filed 40 criminal charges. They ended a party and two protests. But all in all, the Berlin Police Department was satisfied because most Berliners stuck to the rules.
At Treptower Park, thousands of Berliners walked along the Spree river and sat down on on the huge lawns on site. There was enough room for everyone, except at those food stalls where people may have come too close to each other in some cases (see video at top of page).
Kurfüstendamm and most other streets in Berlin’s western city center were empty on Friday. A lot of people were seen around Zoo Station though, especially when a young man collapsed. Two ambulances, security guards and and police officers showed up.
Victoria Park in Kreuzberg provides a lot of room too. People did not seem to come too close to each other. The German capital does have a lot of parks. Most Berliners are careful by now and know the drill.
Governing Mayor Michael Müller and the authorities kept on reminding residents to follow the rules because they were afraid the great weather during the Easter weekend would make them forget.
The entrance to the former airport at its eastern end was rather crowded on Friday. But all in all, Berliners did a pretty good job here as well.
At Rudolph Wilde Park in Berlin’s Schöneberg district, sunbathers on the grass did not sit on top of each other on Sunday, even though there were many of them. A few weeks ago, nobody here thought they would ever have to keep their distance because of a pandemic.
Berlin’s public transport was rather empty most of the time, since people probably entered parks in the districts they live in. At Prinzenstrasse station, hardly anyone was seen on Monday afternoon.
Even though it was rather cool and windy on Monday, many couples, families and other Berliners were seen along the canals. But they did not sit down for too long.
One day, all Berliners, all Germans, expatriates and migrants, as well as people all over the world might remember this weekend during which nobody knew when the Corona crisis would finally be over. Easter of 2020 did not provide what most are looking for, namely a light at the end of the tunnel.
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