The Christmas lights in Berlin would cost around 700,000 euros for 2024. According to the authorities in the city hall, the broken left-green city has no money for this. Nevertheless, they are very much prepared to organise Ramadan lighting in 2025.
The Christmas lights in Berlin have been a popular highlight of the pre-Christmas period for decades and an important economic factor. However, funding of around 700,000 euros is on the line for this year. While in the past the city has continually cut funding and squandered it on any left-wing rubbish, the Senate has now cancelled all financial support. Proposals such as using part of the Berlin tax on beds (City Tax) to cover the costs were rejected from the outset and show that there is presumably no general will to do so.
At the same time, however, the Senate is seriously considering funding its own lighting for the Muslim fasting and fasting festival, Ramadan, next year. While there is insufficient support for the traditional Christmas lighting, which has been part of the cityscape for years, a new lighting initiative for Ramadan is being discussed in all seriousness. This idea is based on an example from Frankfurt am Main, where a street was illuminated during Ramadan – financed with around 75,000 euros of taxpayers’ money. Even if the Frankfurt installation was less costly, it is questionable why money for such lighting is being considered at all, while Christmas lighting is to be cancelled.
Christmas is not just a Christian tradition, but an important cultural event that revitalises the city and attracts tourists. It is difficult to understand why there should suddenly be no more money for Berlin’s decades-old Christmas tradition, while new projects are being launched for the Christmas lights of political ideology Islam.
The city should urgently rethink its priorities and strike a balance instead of neglecting established traditions and prioritising new projects whose benefits are questionable, according to one of the more moderate demands from social media.