With Berlin's coronavirus lockdown restrictions partially lifted it was once again possible this weekend to catch the ferry across Wannsee over to picturesque Kladow, a popular outing. No more than 150 people were allowed on board, according to a small sign on the boat. Naturally, everyone was required to wear a face mask. We all piled onto the ferry, sitting cheek by jowl — so much for social distancing. Swapping confused looks, many wondered whether this was such a good idea after all.
This sense of uncertainly and unease was widespread across much of Germany last weekend — at least among the majority of Germans who take the coronavirus seriously. There is, after all, a vocal minority that has somehow dismissed the pandemic as being some sort of fantasy, or believes it to be the creation of some shadowy group intent on global domination. And to these conspiracy theorists, that group is almost always the all-powerful Jewish ruling class.
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Thousands of these extremists gathered in Stuttgart and Munich over the weekend, demanding that their basic rights be restored. Ironically, these sentiments were being expressed by those on the far left and far right, groups of people who don't usually care much for constitutional rights. Once again, just as during the 2015 refugee crisis, many are railing against our representative democracy. As a democratic society it's something that we just have to accept.
Public mood swing
But if you listen to ordinary people — on public transport, at the supermarket — it's clear that many are also feeling a sense of uncertainty and unease. Some think the pandemic is effectively over, while others believe we are facing impending doom. In any case, the widespread sense of unity among most Germans that emerged was when the lockdown measures were first introduced has vanished. If anything, a majority appears to believe restrictions were eased too soon. They are supported in their view by virologists, who have been reporting a spike in infections in recent days.
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In the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where restaurants have already reopened, dining out just isn't the same when servers wear face masks and must disinfect menus for customers. And so, many Germans are remaining cautious, opting to staying away.
This sudden mood swing bears a certain resemblance to the 2015 refugee crisis. As thousands of refugees streamed into Germany, many initially supported Chancellor Angela Merkel's liberal open-door policy. But public opinion soon shifted, and today Germany and Europe have bolstered their external borders, effectively barring asylum-seekers from entry.
No long-term plan
What we are lacking today is a clear strategy to get us through this pandemic. And who knows what will happen if some parts of the country decide to reinstate lockdown measures when infection rates shoot up again. Germany's decision-makers face a daunting task: they need to draw up a road map to get through this extraordinary crisis, which will most likely persist for a year or even longer. At the same time, they must adapt to changes, and adjust measures on a regional level as needed.
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Winfried Kretschmann, the state premier of Baden-Württemberg, put it aptly this weekend when he said that effective policy measures ultimately do away with themselves by tackling the very conditions that necessitated them in the first place. Social distancing, and the act of bringing much of public and commercial life to a standstill across the country, have worked. Now we're seeing a gradual easing of lockdown measures — though face masks, working from home and travel restrictions will stay with us for the foreseeable future.