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Germany: Christmas Markets to Take Place this Year

All over Germany, Christmas markets are being planned. After last year’s sudden cancellations, the organizers insist on creating a Christmassy atmosphere this time. Of course, this is about business too.

Berlin, October 5th, 2021. Update: October 20th, 2021, 08:42 a.m. CEDT (The Berlin Spectator) — Thousands of little stalls had just been set up, and the merchandise was being delivered when the decision was taken: No Christmas markets were allowed to open. The ones that were already open had to close. From the perspective of many Germans the holiday season ended before it begun. Commerce Minister Peter Altmaier’s people had to send out many wire transfers. All of this happened in 2020.

Beauty in Charlottenburg

This mess is not supposed to repeat itself this year. Hundreds of Christmas markets are already being organized. in most cities and towns, the Christmas market season commences on or around November 22nd. Berlin has quite a few nice Christmas markets. Some are more commercial, like the ones that are usually being set up at Alexanderplatz and Potsdamer Platz, the two most famous squares in the German capital, but not necessarily the most beautiful ones. The one at Potsdamer Platz used to open ahead of time, as a “Christmas Market that is Not a Christmas Market“, meaning it is a pre-Christmas Market which converts to a Christmas market on November 22nd.

Berliners and visitors who want beauty and a more authentic holiday atmosphere can always go to the giant Christmas market at Red City hall, which even features an ice rink and a giant wheel. You want an even more beautiful one? Unfortunately, the one in front of Charlottenburg Palace was cancelled again. Another famous Christmas Market in Berlin always took place at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin’s Charlottenburg borough. At this one, twelve people were killed in an Islamist terror attack on December 20th, 2016. The victims have been commemorated every year since the attack. Have we mentioned the stunning Christmas market at Gendarmenmarkt?

More Beauty in Nuremberg

For now, things look sort of good in Berlin. The city’s Christmas markets have been announced by the municipality and preparations are underway. Of course, this applies in other cities and towns all over Germany as well. In Saxony, the state government is already talking to organizers, presumably about the Corona rules they will have to follow. In Lower Saxony, Brunswick, Göttingen, Hildesheim and other places are in the process of preparing Christmas markets.

Further south, in Baden-Württemberg, the Ministry of Social Affairs announced Christmas markets could take place this year. Of course, the organizers are working on it. In Rhineland-Palatinate and other states, the situation is similar. In Bavaria, Germany’s most famous Christmas market in Nuremburg, which is known as the ‘Christkindlmarkt’, a very picturesque one, is supposed to take place too.

Borrowed Tradition

Everyone is hoping the enthusiasm is not premature, like it was last time. Nobody really knows whether Corona will strike again in the coming weeks. At this stage, the situation is stable in the sense that the number of new infection is not increasing in most German regions.

The beautiful German Christmas market tradition is being ‘borrowed’ all over the world, including in countries that do not ever experience snowfall. Yes, snow is one of the ingredients which make Christmas markets special. When there is no snow, it should be compensated, with beauty or excellent food.

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