Biergartens in Berlin reopen but schools remain part-time

Berlin is slowly emerging from months of lockdown. With the incidence number now well below 100, the emergency brake is no longer in place. So, no more curfew and no more appointments to enter a shop, though you still need to show proof of a negative Covid test, or you need to be fully vaccinated. 

Beer gardens and outdoor restaurants reopen for Whitsun

The Berlin government has decided to relax other coronavirus restrictions. Museums, outdoor cinemas, beer gardens, cafés and restaurants with outdoor seating, as well as outdoor swimming pools, have all reopened this week, in time for Whitsun (Pfingsten in German), though with limitations and proof of a negative Covid test or vaccination certificate required. Even the football stadium reopened to 2,000  Union Berlin fans yesterday. Shame about the weather, not ideal for outdoor swimming!

No change to schools

You would have thought that reopening schools would have been one of the local government’s priorities, especially now that children wear surgical masks all the time and are tested for Covid twice a week. Well think again. The Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family has decided that schools will not return to normal before the start of the summer holidays, regardless of the incidence number. The reason indicated is to avoid burdening schools with organisational changes so close to the summer holidays, which begin on 24 June. Apparently, it’s not worth disrupting the status quo “only” for five weeks. This means that schools will continue to function on a part-time basis, with pupils attending only a few hours a week.

Children and families 

Children in Berlin have not had access to regular schooling since mid-December. At the moment, all pupils in Berlin are allowed to go to school, but classes are halved so this means they are taught only for a few hours a day or a couple of days per week, depending on the decision taken by each individual school. As well as being extremely damaging to children’s education, social development and mental well-being, this model called Wechselunterricht also puts an enormous strain on families, because children have to be home-schooled when they can’t physically attend. Just to give you an idea, my son used to have 28 hours of lessons at school per week. Since the end of February, when schools reopened, he has only attended for 12 or 13 hours per week. The rest of the time he has been studying at home with me. 

Children have a right to education

In my opinion, children in Berlin are being denied their right to an education. It seems that it’s more important to boost alcohol consumption in pubs than to teach children in a school environment in the company of other children. My eight-year-old hasn’t seen some of his school friends for five months or has only been able to wave at them from behind school gates. I’m not the only one to be concerned about children’s mental health. A group of 27 pediatricians, psychiatrists and social workers have signed a letter to the mayor Michael Müller and the education senator Sandra Scheeres demanding the immediate return to regular school. They have witnessed a worrying increase in the number of children and young people suffering from depression, media addiction and weight problems in recent months.  

Sign the petition

There is an online petition asking for schools to return to normal, in view of lower incidence numbers. So far it has reached 3,400 signatures, which doesn’t seem a lot considering Berlin has a population of 3.8 million. Some parents are clearly outraged, while others seem to agree with the decision or are not too bothered. They’re simply holding out until the holidays. Some say it’s because incidence numbers amongst children are higher, while others point out that not all teachers have been vaccinated. This may be true, but it’s not the reason given by the senate. To me it is a matter of principle. Why can 2,000 fans celebrate and drink beer outside the stadium without any social distancing, when children can’t go to school normally? It seems absurd. What do you think? Will you sign the petition?

Life in lockdown: week seven

We have entered a new phase of quarantine

As in other European countries, the lockdown is gradually being eased across Germany. While measures are being relaxed, experts warn that lifting the lockdown too quickly could lead to dire consequences. One of these experts is Christian Drosten (Germany’s coronavirus guru), who in recent months has become a prominent public figure. He directs the Institute of Virology at the Charité Hospital, here in Berlin, and has been advising the German government since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, he has expressed concern about a second wave of the virus. According to Angela Merkel (the German chancellor has recently made the headlines as “the politician who understands numbers”), «We are treading on thin ice». As life slowly returns to some degree of normality, there is a general feeling that things are improving. However, one can’t help being worried that the situation could deteriorate quickly.

Changes to our daily lives

When the lockdown measures first came into effect and our lives were turned upside down, I tried to avoid, or at least limit, reading newspapers online because the news was all about the Coronavirus and it was worrying and depressing. Seven weeks later, the news is still all about the Coronavirus and it remains worrying and depressing, with the occasional glimmer of hope. Nevertheless, I find that I have to keep abreast of developments because of the constant changes affecting our daily lives.

Face masks and playgrounds

For instance, on Tuesday, Berlin became the last Bundesland to make wearing face masks (or any piece of material that covers the nose and mouth) compulsory in shops, effective the following day. This includes children over the age of six. Berliners weren’t given much warning! At least BVG, the transport company, had given us a few days to prepare. My husband was actually turned away from the supermarket on Wednesday because he’d forgotten to take his mask. While face masks were not a common sight on the streets of Berlin until recently, they are now the ultimate fashion statement. If you’ve got to wear one, at least you want to look stylish. There were other changes this week, as several playgrounds in Pankow reopened on Thursday. It felt strange to wander into a playground again and we didn’t stay long, although it was far from crowded. Also, the zoo, the Tierpark (that is the animal park; not to be confused with the Tiergarten, which is the park in the centre of Berlin) and the aquarium have reopened.

May Day and other demonstrations

May Day was a rather quiet affair this year, as the Myfest (a very lively street party held in the alternative district of Kreuzberg on 1 May) was cancelled. There were demonstrations in several parts of Berlin. The biggest was in Kreuzberg, where around 1,000 people took to the streets defying a ban on public gatherings of more than 20 (as mentioned last week, said gatherings are only for funerals or baptisms). They were protesting against capitalism and calling for greater solidarity (#leavenoonebehind). There have also been demonstrations against the lockdown measures in recent weeks in Berlin, especially around Rosa Luxemburg Platz.

 

Enjoying a long weekend

Personally, I kept well away from the demonstrations and went for a bike ride through the Schlosspark in Pankow with the family. Even though the weather wasn’t great and there wasn’t much going on, it felt good to have a long weekend. Except for the days when I take part in digital yoga classes, the days in partial lockdown are almost all identical: homeschooling in the mornings and outdoor exercise for the little one in the afternoons. The weekends are different because we don't do any homework and my husband is at home (if he's not working), so there is more time for playing, writing and resting. 

Social distancing

Though the lockdown is being lifted, social distancing is still the buzzword of the day. We must keep a distance of 1.5m from others at all times. We have got used to the fact that we can’t see our friends, but when we occasionally do see a friendly face on the street it feels rather unnatural to walk towards them and then suddenly stop, because we have to keep a distance. When will we be able to embrace our friends? When will we be allowed to shake hands again? Will we be too scared to attempt any physical contact? When will we stop looking at strangers with suspicion, wondering whether they might be carrying the virus? As summer approaches, will we be able to go on holiday? On Thursday, Angela Merkel dashed our hopes by stating that international travel will not be possible this summer. So, I still can’t answer the question my son asked this week: When will we see Granny and Nonno (Grandad in Italian) again? We might have to wait several more months for that unfortunately.

Berlin with kids

Berlin is a great city to visit with kids. You will find plenty to do whatever the weather. With hundreds of playgrounds, two zoos, two aquariums, leafy parks, lakes and great museums, your kids will not be bored! 

OUTDOORS

Playgrounds (in German Spielplatz or Spielplätze plural)

Berlin has hundreds of playgrounds scattered around the city.

If your child needs a break from sightseeing or shopping, you will not need to search long to find a playground. Type in Spielplatz into an online map service to find the one closest to you.

Spielplatz am Heinrich-Lassen-Park

Some of the best playgrounds in Berlin are

Hirschhof Spielplatz (Prenzlauer Berg) – close to the Mauerpark.

Spielplatz am Wasserturm (Prenzlauer Berg) – it’s very close to Kollwitzplatz; green and child-friendly neighbourhood with lots of nice cafes.

Spielplatz am Kollwitzplatz (Prenzlauer Berg) – visit the market on a Thursday afternoon or on a Saturday.

Blauer Spielplatz (Mitte) – inside the Weinsberg Park, where you can get a bite to eat of a proper meal at the cafe/restaurant in the middle of the park.

Spielplatz am Monbijoupark (Mitte) – close to Museum Island.

Tiergarten – there are several playgrounds at different ends of the park; you could combine it with a visit to the Reichstag, Potsdamer Platz, the Zoo or the Aquarium.

Volkspark Friedrichshain (Prenzlauer Berg/Friedrichshain) – there are three playgrounds; this park gets very busy at the weekend.

Gleisdreieck Park (Kreuzberg) head to the Museum of Technology first and the stop off for lunch or dinner at the Brlo Brewery.

Spielplatz am Heinrich-Lassen-Park (Schöneberg) – brand-new playground with a castle. It’s right next to a swimming pool with a small outdoor pool and close to Volkspark Schöneberg-Wilmersdorf. It’s only a short walk from Rathaus Schoeneberg, where John F. Kennedy gave his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner speech”. Meanwhile, David Bowie fans might like to head to Hauptstraße 155, where the great artist lived between 1976 and 1978. There is a memorial plaque outside the building.

On a hot day, look for a Wasserspielplatz, a playground with water.

Swimming pools and lakes 

Some of the best outdoor pools (in German Freibad or Sommerbad) and lakes are

Kinderbad Monbijou (Mitte) – best for small children.

Sommerbad Pankow (Pankow) – good for all ages: there is a paddling pool for the little ones, a swimming pool for older ones and a leisure pool with slides and diving boards; it can get very crowded on a hot day and at the weekends, but there’s plenty of space on the lawn. 

Freibad Orankesee

Strandbad Weissensee (Weissensee) – good for swimming, sunbathing, having a drink and hanging out with the locals.

Freibad Orankesee (Hohenschönhausen) – good for swimming, sunbathing and avoiding tourists. There is a spacious and shady Biergarten nearby.  

Schlachtensee (Zehlendorf) – beautiful lake surrounded by trees located in the posh area of Berlin. There is a large beer garden and adjacent playground. It gets crowded at the weekends, especially close to the S-Bahn station.

Parks

Tiergarten – the city’s green lung. There are plenty of paths and hidden treasures to discover, as well as two nice beer gardens where you can stop off for lunch or a drink: Café am Neuen See and Schleusenkrug.

Volkspark Friedrichshain – large park with playgrounds, cafes and a beer garden but gets very crowded with local Berliners at the weekends.

Gleisdreieck – former wasteland converted into a park. I’ve written about it in the past.

Tempelhof – the old airport runway has been transformed into a huge park; very popular with the locals. Read my previous entry.

Mauerpark – get there early on a Sunday to avoid the crowds and visit the flee market; the karaoke starts at 3pm and will keep your older kids entertained. I’ve also written about this in the past.

Schloss Charlottenburg – visit the castle and/or walk, play, run in the grounds. 

INDOORS

Labyrinth Kindermuseum

Museum für Naturkunde (Natural History Museum)

Don’t miss the dinosaurs! Tristan Otto is the only original skeleton of a T. Rex in Europe to date.

Deutsches Technikmuseum (German Museum of Technology)

The museum has a huge collection of steam engines and is also a great place for plane and boat lovers. Don’t miss the Rosinenbomber on the top terrace!

Spectrum Science Centre

The Science Centre makes science fun for children. It is just across from the Museum of Technology and tickets are valid for same-day visits to both the museum and Spectrum.

Labyrinth Kindermuseum (Wedding) – the former factory has been converted into a spacious children’s museum, with a special focus on diversity. There are different areas and lots of things to discover and to play with. Aspiring chefs will love the large kitchen area.

Kindermuseum MachMit (Prenzlauer Berg) – housed in a former church, the large museum offers endless opportunities for playing, climbing and learning through play. There is also a cinema. The current exhibition, which has been extended to June 2019, focuses on Native American culture.

Legoland – housed in a basement on Potsdamer Platz, it’s noisy and expensive, with only artificial light. Parents hate it, but kids love it. Best to avoid at the weekend.

Zoo – it’s one of Berlin’s most popular attractions both with adults and children so it gets very busy, especially at the weekends.

Tierpark – not to be confused with the Tiergarten. The Tierpark is Europe’s biggest animal park and is in the Eastern part of Berlin.

Aquarium – the entrance is next to the Zoo. It’s a good place for the little ones and for fish and/or reptile lovers. Don’t miss the sharks! You can get a combined ticket for the zoo and the aquarium.

Sealife – it’s smaller and narrower than the aquarium. The best part is the lift that takes you into the AquaDom at the end: the massive aquarium inside the Radisson Blu Hotel lobby. It’s cheaper if you buy tickets online.

Berlin boat trip – the one-hour boat trip along the Spree is probably the best option for smaller kids. They tend to get bored after a while!