AreaRead the video transcript expand here
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To St. Pauli!"
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Sometimes you can also celebrate yourself, and I think today is one of those days when you just have to do it.«
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But you can tell that people are greedy.
They're up for it.«
Hamburg, Sankt Pauli, Saturday evening.
Germany's best-known amusement mile is about to start its first night of partying again.
Since Christmas, all hosts have had to send their guests home at 11 p.m. – curfew due to Corona.
Especially when it's left out - and high-volume.
For many pubs, that meant: it's better to close completely.
Kiez veteran Micky opened her shop for the first time in two months today - is it worth it?
Micky Hensel, owner of "Night Shift"
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I think a lot of people are still a bit unsure about that.
We now have the 68th ordinance, none of the ordinary people read through all that snot.
Maybe today is just a warm-up, but in the end it doesn't matter to me whether there are ten people here today or fifty people - I'll definitely escalate.
You, and if there aren't any more guests and we're still in a good mood, then we'll close the door, hit us in here and dance a little with ourselves.«
Whether anyone will dance here later - and if so, how many - remains to be seen.
And indeed: despite the rain and storm warnings, the neighborhood is filling up.
It's almost like before.
(Cheering) Apparently it was about time.
However, the bars are only allowed to let in as many guests as they can seat, and only under 2G+ conditions.
Clubs are only allowed to reopen in two weeks.
Markus Kowalski only took over his bar last summer.
So far he only knows pandemic operations.
Markus Kowalski, owner of "Frauensalon"
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We've been sitting here almost alone for the last few weekends, sometimes.
Well, it's January, February, it's all a difficult time now anyway – hello, howdy, dear!
But now people are coming back and are happy – everything is fine, everything is great at the moment.
Um - you need seats, and we have three more seats in the back, and otherwise it's closing time.
Kowalski's downside: His shop is small.
Then the magic time approaches: it is shortly before 11 p.m.
And Markus Kowalski has taken precautions.
He wants to acknowledge the new opening hours in a befitting manner.
Markus Kowalski, bar operator, brings tray with Kurzen.
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To the end of curfew, here!"
Guest:
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Ohh!
Alcohol?!"
Markus Kowalski, bar operator:
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It's after 11 p.m. and you can still sit here!"
That can also be without a mask.
Markus Kowalski, bar operator:
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To Sankt Pauli!«
Guests:
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To Sankt Pauli!«
Woman in the bar:
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It's great because this is our neighborhood bar and we meet here and can just be together longer."
Man in the bar:
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We just had restrictions and now it's a bit like always."
Woman in the bar:
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Well, just because it's curfew today doesn't mean I'm going into the shop any lighter than before, but of course you want to go out again and be part of life."
Markus Kowalski, Bar "Frauensalon"
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Social get-together, with fun, with drinks, with music - in times of a pandemic, the model is just shit, right?"
While some are happy to be able to stay seated longer, others would prefer to get up - but are not allowed to.
There is still a ban on dancing.
For a table dance bar, that's a challenge.
Here is now only "lolled", on a chair.
Question:
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Where does lounging end and where does dancing begin?"
Christian Schnell, Managing Director »Susis Showbar«
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Yes, we're in a bit of a gray area there.
From our consciousness we are only lolling, not dancing.
They're not allowed to get up, they're not allowed to start rocking, they're really just sitting on the chair and doing a few movements.
There's nothing more.
And as I said, we're two meters away from the stage, so that's really safe.«
As safe as it can be on the Reeperbahn.
Christian Schnell, Managing Director »Susis Showbar
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We have upgraded our stores, we have ventilation systems, we have partitions, we are going beyond 2G+, well I would say there is no more security.
People want to experience something, they don't feel like watching Netflix anymore, they've done it all, they want to step on the gas - that's what we're here for, that's what the Reeperbahn is for."
Accelerate - that was also Micky's plan on the "night shift" today.
What has become of it?
Micky Hensel, landlady
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A question for the guests: are you drunker now than before?"
Guests:
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Yeah!
- No!"
Micky Hensel:
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Why no?!«
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People were all happy to be able to go out again without a curfew and were also thirsty… yes.
It was a nice evening!«
Guests:
"I think people need it again, I think Hamburg needs it again too."
"I
think we're just at a point in time when everyone can have the right and desire to have normal life again."
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I think we all miss these human contacts.
You don't know beforehand how much you miss it and you don't appreciate all of it, definitely.«
The balance of the first long night in Sankt Pauli: Something works, but by no means everything.