Germany: public aid to support artists and freelancers

Text by: Pascal Thibaut Follow

Germany has set up a massive economic aid program to respond to the negative consequences of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Publicity

From our correspondent in Berlin

Quite quickly, the measures planned for employees such as short-time working or the provision of liquidity for companies showed their limits for the self-employed, including artists. Non-reimbursable aid for these categories has therefore been put in place to quickly meet their needs. The German capital, where these people are numerous, was particularly active.

The Berlin administration has bad press, however. It takes weeks to get an appointment for basic procedures, construction sites have started and never stop, not to mention the new large airport awaited for years. Artists, graphic designers, translators and other self-employed workers, faced with a more or less total loss of their revenues due to the Covid-19 epidemic, were already moping.

But the city of Berlin reacted quickly and set up an aid fund to allow them to survive for a few weeks. In a less industrial city where 11% are independent, more than elsewhere in the country, it is also a bit of the attractiveness of the city that is at stake. The server of the public bank IBB was taken by storm by tens of thousands of people who had to take their troubles patiently. But when their files were completed, the money arrived sometimes in 24 hours on their account, allowing many to breathe. 150,000 requests were met and 1.3 billion euros paid to artists and other self-employed workers.

Other regions have also set up similar aid which will not have to be repaid. The federal government has also launched an accessible program for these people.

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

• Germany
• Coronavirus

On the same subject

Germany to allow seasonal workers despite coronavirus

Germany: outcry after refusal of large companies to pay their rents

Coronavirus: few victims in the epidemic in Germany