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In order to contain the rapidly spreading corona pandemic, public and private life in Germany will be drastically shut down for the second time this year.

From this Wednesday (16th) until January 10th, the retail trade will have to close, with the exception of shops for daily needs.

Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the prime ministers of the federal states decided on Sunday.

During this period, schools should also be closed or compulsory attendance suspended.

The strict contact restrictions are relaxed at Christmas for celebrations with close family members, but not at the turn of the year.

The partial lockdown, which has been in effect since the beginning of November, was “not enough,” said Merkel in Berlin after the deliberations of the federal and state governments.

"We are forced to act and are acting now," said the Chancellor.

In the German newspaper landscape, commentators largely consider the drastic measures to be necessary.

WELT summarizes the press reviews.

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"NZZ": Germany did not do enough in the Corona crisis

“The test capacities in Germany are still insufficient, the test strategy is erratic.

In most health authorities, it is no longer possible to trace the contacts of infected people.

The German Corona app is possibly world-class in terms of data protection, but practically unusable for an efficient fight against the pandemic.

The highest rates of infection still occur in old people's and nursing homes.

(...)

Not because of the underestimated virus, but because of these failures, in addition to a wave of new infections, an enormous wave of costs will hit Germany - both humanly and economically.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz spoke on Sunday of 11 billion euros, which are now additionally needed per month to cushion the worst consequences of the corona catastrophe.

This no longer helps the many people who are faced with the ruins of their existence after the second hard lockdown.

Neither do the many people who have lost loved ones.

Politicians like to refer to Corona as a 'catastrophe'.

That not everything has been done to limit this is also one. "

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"Tages-Anzeiger": Federal states have slowed down corona measures

“Although the situation is still only half as dramatic as in Switzerland, the reasons for the failure are very similar: the federal states are responsible for fighting the pandemic, the federal government can basically only issue a warning.

Some federal states saw the gravity of the situation earlier or were affected earlier, some later.

At the same time, tens of thousands of people protested against the 'epidemic dictatorship' on the streets, and the courts strictly checked every measure for proportionality.

Only Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Health Minister Jens Spahn and individual Prime Ministers such as Bavarian Markus Söder and Winfried Kretschmann from Baden-Württemberg constantly warned that 'all this is not enough'.

The death toll is 'unacceptable'.

They were only able to assert themselves now.

When asked whether she was right, Merkel answered: 'Today is not the day to look back.

But to do what is necessary. '

Better late than never."

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"Rossijskaja": No mulled wine for Christmas in Germany

“Theaters, restaurants, clubs and fitness centers in the country have been closed since the beginning of November.

Now there are also hairdressing salons - the Germans already missed them a lot during the quarantine in spring.

(...) There is now a fine for drinking in the street.

An exception is not made for Christmas mulled wine, which, according to the authorities, 'forces citizens to close the distance between themselves'.

And on this New Year's Eve, Germans are not allowed to set off fireworks 'in public places'. "

"Handelsblatt": "The Chancellor did not succeed in a consistent corona fight"

“The fact that the emergency brake for Germany has to be pulled again with the hard lockdown is also due to the unequal interests of the countries that thwarted far-reaching decisions to combat pandemics for weeks.

Even the Chancellor did not succeed in a consistent Corona fight ... In retrospect of the Corona crisis, however, the period from October to the beginning of December has the potential to enter into a phase of catastrophe acceleration.

Unlike in Italy, for example, which is now better off again thanks to early action.

In Germany, however, there are again tough restrictions - including Corona Christmas and pandemic New Year's Eve.

However, it is also part of the truth that citizens do not always follow suit as politicians hope.

The motto here is: Not everything that is possible has to be done. "

"Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung": "Why so late?"

So far, there has not been any effective countermeasures in most countries.

Instead, some heads of government used a lot of creativity to devise exceptions and relaxations.

And there were no clear strategies.

Example nursing and old people's homes.

It has been known for months: These are hotspots in virus events.

But it was only in yesterday's decision that the federal states committed to ordering mandatory tests for home staff.

Why so late?

When Berlin's governing mayor Michael Müller assured his country colleagues yesterday that he had always been up to date with the Corona time, that sounded very strange.

Müller suggested: It is the fault of the population that it has come to this.

Most of them adhered to the prescribed restrictions.

And probably also suspected that they would not be enough.

"Augsburger Allgemeine": "Toughness, because there is no other way"

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“Hardness is now prescribed because there is no other way.

One can reproach the powerful of the country for having believed in the responsible citizen for too long.

Millions in this country have to blame themselves for the fact that everyone's freedom is being rigidly curtailed. "

"Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung": "Politics not as recipient of orders"

Because of the uncertain progress of the pandemic, politicians and scientific policy advice are increasingly having to think about long-term strategies.

... The National Academy Leopoldina must be asked whether its ad hoc statement is a sensible form of political advice insofar as it only takes up discussions and is also conceptually vague.

The threat of a leading virologist: “If politics decides differently, then it has no longer decided in favor of science” warns that politics and science must find a new relationship in order to be able to cope with this pandemic with mutual clarity of roles .

Politics and science follow different logics.

That is why politics cannot allow itself to be made to receive orders.

"Süddeutsche Zeitung": "Collective failure"

“If you don't want to hear, you have to feel - as old-fashioned and repulsive as this phrase sounds, it describes exactly what happened.

Because even if the temptation to blame “politics”, “the government” or “the prime minister” will be great very quickly - everyone has gotten into this mess together.

The collective has failed;

that's how you have to sum it up. "

"Reutlinger General-Anzeiger": "Merkel and the country leaders made it easy for themselves"

Chancellor Merkel and the 16 country leaders must be accused of having made it easy for themselves in the fight against the pandemic.

Instead of looking for precise instruments, they repeatedly only warned of the dangers and threatened lockdown.

When the partial lockdown failed, there were again only general indications of the diffuse infection situation and the complaint that too many people did not comply with the rules.

Merkel and the country leaders have missed an opportunity to make themselves honest.

Those who admit a mistake show humility towards the citizens.

Such a signal would do the Corona debate in Germany good.

"Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger": "Hard lockdown inevitable"

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“Nobody should deny that the hard lockdown is inevitable, hearing the daily reports about new infections, Covid-19 deaths and the strain on intensive care medicine.

In this respect, the decisions taken on Sunday are correct.

Nevertheless, it must have long been clear to all prime ministers that the ten-person rule for the Christmas holidays would not be able to be adhered to or that the largely unhindered mobility would make the situation even worse.

It seems completely grotesque that the sale of New Year's Eve fireworks has only now been banned.

Such a whoop-hop policy is the opposite of reliability.

It endangers the success of the pandemic fight. "

"Stuttgarter Zeitung": "German politics did not get before the second wave"

“There is much to suggest that it would have been different.

The closure of the country would have been shorter earlier.

By mid-November at the latest it was clear that the honorable attempt to choose milder means was not enough for the virus.

The coordination between the federal and state governments always took a little too long.

Of course you don't want a dictatorial corona management like in China, democracy by its nature acts more slowly.

Nor can any actor be denied that they acted to the best of their knowledge and belief in this situation.

Soberly, however, it can be stated that German politics came before the first wave in spring, but not before the second in autumn. "

"Nürnberger Nachrichten": "Consequence of now visible errors"

“The hard lockdown is the logical, overdue consequence of the now visible errors.

Much now depends, as always, on the common sense of the people.

When the masses storm the pedestrian zones today and tomorrow, there will be another boost in the numbers.

Charity, this not only Christian virtue, can in such a year also show itself in staying away from one's neighbor for once. "

"Westfälische Nachrichten": "Ultima Ratio"

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“But let's not fool ourselves: Much more than the extensive shutdown of social life is not possible to put a stop to the rampant epidemic.

The real lockdown is, so to speak, the 'ultima ratio'.

Thank God the example from other countries shows that tough measures work.

Especially when they are flanked by insightful behavior. "

"Wiesbadener Kurier": "Broad discussion in Parliament is sorely needed"

“It took too long for federal and state governments to come up with uniform solutions.

In this precarious situation, Chancellor Angela Merkel is smart enough not to take full advantage of the fact that she was right with her pessimism.

She couldn't force stricter regulations.

Special times require extraordinary measures.

They show up in crisis cabinets, cooperation with the opposition or, depending on the point of view, in the justified or legendary Prime Minister's Conference.

All of this has to be processed and established in fixed forms and processes.

In particular, a broad discussion in parliaments is sorely needed. "

"Heilbronn voice": "Scope still not understood"

“Anyone who now complains that Christmas doesn't take place with the whole family and New Year's Eve without firecrackers has still not understood the implications.

Society has to accept that the light version of the lockdown was not enough.

Instead of responsible self-restraint, many used every imaginable loophole. "

"Straubinger Tagblatt / Landshuter Zeitung": "Don't be surprised at the dramatic increase in the number of infections"

“It has been shown that it is of no use just to emphasize that the vast majority adheres to the rules that alone would make it possible for the virus to die out: wear a mask, keep your distance, wash your hands.

The problem in this case is that relatively few people who do not understand are enough to infect a large number of other people.

And anyone who has followed the legally approved demonstrations of the so-called lateral thinkers in the past need not be surprised at a dramatic increase in the number of infections. "

"Mitteldeutsche Zeitung": "Necessary decision"

“Those responsible acted on the 3rd Advent.

This was preceded by a pleading speech by the Chancellor in the Bundestag - and a quick rethink in a number of state chancelleries.

Shortly before the end of the year, the country is going into the compulsory Christmas rest, closing shops and schools at the last minute to prevent a super-spreading year.

It was a necessary decision and it was a decision that comes very late. "

"The new day": "Is that that bad?"

“We all don't know what the next year will be like.

But there is justified hope that it will be a lot better than 2020. The course for this is currently being set.

Every day.

This time it is important to say goodbye to a number of rituals.

The Christmas services in overcrowded churches, which many only see inside once a year.

The family visit in XXL format that you would never make outside of the festive season.

The New Year's Eve party with firecrackers and excessive alcohol.

This year we're not letting the New Year crash.

Is it that bad?"

"Südwest Presse": "The state cannot remove any business risk"

“The federal government wants to help retailers whose Christmas business is coming to an abrupt end with billions of euros.

But for many companies that is not enough: The retail association wants to largely replace the previous year's sales.

Otherwise many would not survive.

There is a truth to this.

But the state cannot remove every business risk.

In addition, customers are also in demand who can make up for failed purchases next year instead of making the giants on the Internet even bigger.

Everyone is responsible. "

"Frankenpost": "Be careful with promises"

“The easing at Christmas is significantly smaller than originally thought.

The actual silent night becomes New Year's Eve because almost everything is forbidden.

If politicians have learned anything in the past few weeks, it is this: They should be careful about promises.

Very few can be stopped, as the virus is just as unpredictable as the behavior of 81 million German citizens. "