Monika Eiserloh is still optimistic, she says on the phone.

The showwoman is currently selling sweets at her almond stand at the Offenbach Christmas market.

Your customers are waiting, of course with a mask and a safe distance.

She hopes it will stay that way until the end of December.

The first Christmas markets opened throughout Hesse this Monday.

There is still anticipation for the season.

Kevin Hanschke

Volunteer.

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Jonas Jansen

Business correspondent in Düsseldorf.

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Stefan Locke

Correspondent for Saxony and Thuringia based in Dresden.

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Henning Peitsmeier

Business correspondent in Munich.

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Gustav Theile

Editor in business.

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In the next week one of the largest markets in Germany is to begin with the Frankfurt Christmas market, organized with a mixed concept - mask requirement on the entire market area, access only for those who have recovered and vaccinated at some food stalls and drinks stalls.

But in many communities across Germany, where incidences are reaching record levels, Christmas markets are being canceled in order to cope with the exploding corona numbers.

Enormous economic factor for trade

This causes unrest, especially among the showmen, who worry about losing another season. In Berlin, for example, the Christmas market in front of Charlottenburg Palace was canceled at the beginning of October, despite political assurances to the contrary. But what is the situation with the showmen and what would a cancellation mean economically?

The Christmas markets in Germany are an enormous economic factor for the trade. In the record year 2019, more than 3000 Christmas markets with more than 160 million visitors and 2.9 billion euros in sales were held. "Since 2020 we have been practically prohibited from practicing the profession," says Albert Ritter, President of the German Showmen Association. The pandemic year 2020 was a "catastrophe". He criticizes the current debate about the closings and warns that many showmen have made investments. "Many have used up their pension reserves and life insurance policies, scraped together money and done everything possible to ensure that a reasonably normal Christmas market season can take place this year," he says.

Neither the staff, the stand fees nor contracts for food deliveries can be canceled again.

"We are terrified," says Ritter.

Many showmen are disappointed with the political leaders because it was said in the summer that the Christmas markets will take place.

The Christmas business is "vitally important", as there is hardly any money to be made from January to March.

The coordination with the health authorities is close.

For example in Offenbach, where, in the event of rising incidence figures, there are alternative plans to straighten out the stalls and switch to a 2-G-Plus model.

In addition, the markets are in the fresh air, where the risk of infection is lower than in restaurants and bars, says Ritter.

More reliability would be nice

For traders and showmen in Saxony, one of the federal states with the highest incidence, there are also days between hope and fear.

"Today we drove the trailers to the Christmas market with a children's carousel and train," says Klaus Illgen, head of the Central Saxon Showmen Association.

They would have been in the depot for two years.

“Now we are building up and we are wondering whether we might be able to dismantle again tomorrow.” Showmen and traders are extremely insecure.

Last Monday, a corona protection ordinance with strict restrictions (2 G) came into force in the Free State, which expressly allows Christmas markets under certain conditions.

Just two days later, however, the government tried to persuade the municipalities to cancel the markets.