I’ve spent the last few weeks in the Germanic world of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland and want to share my experiences with pandemic-related protocols like masks and social distancing.
COVID-19 Observations In The Germanic World
Austria
I spent a couple days in Vienna recently and was surprised (and pleased) to see that masks are not compulsory in most places. While I had to wear a mask at the airport and onboard trains, in other places I did not.
When I checked into the Andaz Vienna, I was informed that a mask was not necessary inside. Indeed, no other guests were wearing masks and neither was the staff. However, I was asked to see proof of vaccination.
At restaurants, bars, and ice cream parlors I was also asked to see proof of vaccination, but this seemed more a formality than a diligent check. For example, in the restaurant where I ate dinner the maître d asked if we had it, but when we pulled it out he motioned for us to put it away without even looking closely at it and said “this is just for formality.”
It was so lovely to see Vienna bustling, with coffee shops, bars, and restaurants packed inside and out. Vienna is a city that always makes me feel underdressed and it is once again vibrant and full of life.
Back at the Andaz, the breakfast buffet was as before COVID-19, with everything self-serve.
Of the three Germanic countries, I found Austria has rolled back restrictions more than the others.
Germany
My return to Germany was marked by a woman yelling at me at DM, a drug store chain. I walked in with my cloth mask and she came up to me and demanded to know if it was a surgical mask. I said no and she lectured me about not being allowed in the store without one. She began to escort me out, but thankfully my mother-in-law had an extra KN95 mask in her purse and handed it to me.
The lady ended her lecture with a, “Du bist jetzt in Deutschland!” statement, meaning, “You are now in Germany,” then walked away shaking her head. “Du” is a much more informal way of saying you. Generally a store clerk would say “Sie” (something we don’t have to deal with in English). It was an insult.
My point: don’t mess with German rules. I’ve been wearing the KN95 or surgical masks in Germany – cloth masks are verboten in stores, restaurants, or public transport.
Most people abide by the mask rules and wear the masks properly. One time a pair of young guys had their masks pulled below their nose in Rewe, a grocery story, and the checkout lady starting screaming at them then called security over the loudspeaker. They were escorted out.
There have been a few restaurants we have visited where workers do not wear masks, but that is very much the exception.
Outdoors, masks are not required.
Rules vary by state, though I was asked for proof of vaccination in both Mainz and Munich when checking into hotels.
When I traveled by train from the south to Frankfurt, everyone onboard wore masks, but when I changed trains in Mannheim I noticed many youth sitting down drinking and smoking without masks.
Switzerland
Switzerland is looser on mask rules than Germany, but stricter than Austria. For example, cloth masks are permitted but masks are generally worn indoors except while seated at the table. I saw many people in Zurich, however, go without masks when stepping inside or having them pulled below the nose.
While checking into my hotel in Switzerland, I was not asked for proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
Land borders between the countries remain as open as prior to the pandemic.
CONCLUSION
I actually don’t know (haven’t looked) what the actual rules are. I’m simply reporting my experiences. Germany has been the strictest and it seems that most take it seriously. Meanwhile, compliance lags a bit in Austria and Switzerland and you can wear cloth masks there.
By the way, it has been a lovely summer in Germany. I realize that may sound a bit inappropriate with all the flooding that occurred, but I love the cooler days and rain. That said, we’ve noticed higher water levels throughout our travels in Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Hessen, and Rhineland-Palatinate.
Nice you had some time in Vienna, Matthew. How busy is the 1st district these days? Pre pandemic levels or still less crowded like last summer?
It’s packed! Loved it.
Interesting. Hoping to travel to Germany and Switzerland in November, so keeping up to date with requirements…
Similar experience in Austria. In both Wiener-Neustadt and Innsbruck we had to wear masks inside some places, and were asked for vaccination or test records nearly everywhere.
I totally agree with everything! I’m not sure about Austria but Germany and Switzerland were just how I remembered it a week or so. Enjoy your trip!
You are supposed to wear a “medical” mask in Germany (surgical or FFP2/KN95) since a few months ago….cloth masks won’t cut it anymore as they do a lousy job of filtering anything. Plus your 1.5 m mandatory distance to other people and you have to provide proof of vaccination / negative Covid test regularly at restaurants, hotels, etc…If businesses don’t check that their customers are following these requirements they and the customers are subject to a hefty fine or even temporary closure (this is regularly tested by “secret shoppers”). But you can remove your mask if you need to use your mouth for anything other than speaking and breathing e.g. drinking or eating…
And using “Du” to address an unknown person is not uncommon (contrary to popular belief) and in some dialects its even the standard form of address. There is also the general “Du” that does not imply a specific “Du” that people may sometimes use, even in Hochdeutsch.
That said, hope you (Sie) had a blast over here!
Fascinating thanks!
“….cloth masks won’t cut it anymore as they do a lousy job of filtering anything.” Ohhh, really??? But here we are told that cloth masks bought at Etsy do wonders even when seating next to someone on a plane.
Germany is correct in that flimsy masks are only better than nothing. Yet maybe Matthew should have kicked his heels, stood up rigid, saluted (British salute, not Nazi salute because that is illegal) and said “Jawohl, Frau Gefreite (or Kommandantin)!)
My favorite answer when someone in Germany speaks to me in German and I don’t quite understand. Rather than say I don’t speak much German, I reply “Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof” and shrug my shoulder/hold my palms out.
So for general Europe question…
As an American tourist, I should just carry my CDC vaccination card to restaurants, museums, etc?
Yes, that works.
Any idea about rapid antigen tests in Switzerland for coming back to the USA? the official Swiss website says Covid tests are free, but I’m guessing that’s just for Swiss citizens. I was thinking of buying the mail order online tests, but they are $150 for a six pack, and it’s a pain in the nose (get it?) to do it online, so I’d prefer to do it in person for cheaper if possible. Also, we are going to Switzerland with our 5 and 8 year olds. Not trying to pass judgement either way, but did your see any kids. and if so they tend to wear masks?
Yes, tests readily available but at least where I was(around the airport)they were 80CHF for antigen and 140CHF for PCR.
My four-year-old does not wear a mask in Europe. Most kids don’t. While some kids do, it is unlikely anyone will say anything.
There was one instance in Germany where a 6-year-old girl was told to put on a mask inside a book store. The clerk said the rules was only those under six are exempt.
Funny. Yoi can buy antigen test in supermaket under Euro.
I was in North Italy last week and it mirrored what you reported in Switzerland.
I’m heading to Germany in two weeks and never considered that my masks from Clear would be insufficient. I’ll make sure to pick up some KN95S. Thanks for the tip!
We flew Lufthansa last week from South Africa and encountered the same, very strict mask rules. I had a few blue paper masks in my carry on also we were good to go when told about no cloth masks allowed.
Mask use in the FRA lounge was 50/50 and I was surprised to see many German (speakers) not wearing masks.
My father (and that side of the family) are old school German and also would have considered “Du” by a shop employee or stranger to be insulting.
I was in Germany and Austria last summer. After seeing everyone masked up in Germany, it was a bit jarring to see people going about maskless indoors in Austria (not that I think mask mandates accomplish what they are intended to do). That being said, the Germans you described sound hysterical. Now internal vaccine passports are being instituted across Europe. Just a little taste of what life in the near future, CCP-style, may be like around the world. Learn to stop worrying and love the Great Reset!
Don’t fight it, just mask up Matthew.
“Matthew is an avid traveller”. Well, that was pretty much proven with this report! Thanks for an informative and enjoyable post. Like many of us, I cannot wait to start travelling again when they decide to open the Australian border again. In the meantime, me and 20 million others have to contend with reading reports of other people’s travels at this time. Not that we don’t like or enjoy reading them. But nothing beats the real thing…
I guess she was a mask nazi!
Preußischem Gehorsam, Matthew!
*Preußischer Gehorsam – and I’d wager southern Germans as well as Austrians and the Swiss would balk at you designating them as Prussians 😉 ^^
“One time a pair of young guys had their masks pulled below their nose in Rewe, a grocery story, and the checkout lady starting screaming at them then called security over the loudspeaker. They were escorted out.”
I wish this happened more here in Australia. When will people realise it is absolutely pointless to wear a mask if it doesn’t cover the nose.
I wish emercycrite would visit shariahland and see how illiberal rulers treat those they find deplorable (like him). He wishes for similar state powers of coercion in the West. People know very well that not covering one’s nose renders a mask “ineffective.” When will people realize mask mandates are absolutely pointless in stopping SARS-CoV-2?
wow i just came back from Switzerland and Germany and feel the SAME. i actually went to 13 total countries on the trip and was surprised that even in Switzerland, the whole mask scene didn’t seem as strict. Germany was my last stop and the first (actually many times) time i was near scolded and shamed for not have my mask on properly. i had an urge to snap back just to spite them but didn’t want to deal with german police so i just quietly re-adjusted but i thought it was funny they so righteously shamed me instead of asking for my vaccine record. if this was america and you shame someone to mask, you might get shot