Radio 1: No Face Mask for Markus Söder

In Germany, it’s finally time to celebrate at Oktoberfest again. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no traditional beer festival was held for the past two years. Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder therefore wants to let loose. Ulrike Nagel reports.

Bavaria’s enfant terrible

“Bavarian Prime Minister Söder says he won’t wear a face mask while partying,” Nagel explains. “He doesn’t want to comply with the generally applicable COVID-19 measures. Söder says people should decide for themselves whether they want to maintain social distancing or not. Hospitals aren’t overwhelmed, things weren’t too bad in the hospitality sector over the summer, and testing hundreds of thousands of people a day at Oktoberfest—because that’s the scale we’re talking about—is simply not feasible, he says.” The fact that the Bavarian politician is making this statement now doesn’t surprise the journalist. “It’s remarkable that he’s speaking out so clearly—on the other hand, he is known as a politician who doesn’t mince words.”

Discontent in Berlin

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach clearly sees things differently. Lauterbach expects a new wave in the fall. He previously told *Der Spiegel* why it’s important for Germans to adhere to the measures. Nagel also points out the timing of Markus Söder’s controversial statement: “The Bundestag plans to pass the new Infectious Diseases Act this week, which will establish COVID-19 measures such as mandatory masks on public transportation and in hospitals. But the individual federal states are also free to implement specific measures on their own.”

The World’s Largest Folk Festival

The festival traditionally begins on the first Saturday after September 15 and normally ends on the first Sunday in October. Bavaria expects millions of visitors from home and abroad. Preparations are in full swing at a specially designated site in Munich called the Wiesn, which means “meadow” in the Bavarian dialect. And, of course, traditional Bavarian beer is served in various festival tents. With so many people and so much alcohol, it remains to be seen whether it will be possible to adhere to COVID-19 measures. Ulrike Nagel is skeptical: “It’s a festival where millions of people come mainly to drink large quantities of beer—try doing that while wearing a face mask—and who will be noisily hugging each other—so you can imagine how well you can maintain social distancing.”

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Ulrike Nagel