Host Nation Update, Jan. 12, 2023
A81 closed through Böblingen and Sindelfingen this weekend for bridge demolition work
In connection with the widening of the A81 between the Sindelfingen-Ost and Böblingen-Ost junctions, the highway will be closed between Sindelfingen and Böblingen between approximately 10 p.m., Friday, Jan. 13, and 5 a.m., Monday, Jan. 16. The closure is necessary for the demolition of a bridge section of Calwer Strasse/K1073 which crosses over the A81.
Traffic from Stuttgart toward Singen and Herrenberg will be directed to exit at Sindelfingen-Ost and follow posted detour U6. Traffic from Singen toward Stuttgart will be directed to exit at the Böblingen-Hulb junction and follow detour U11 to regain access to the highway.
Traffic heading from Panzer Kaserne to the autobahn in the direction of Stuttgart is not affected by closures, but the autobahn exit at Böblingen-Ost will be closed during this time.
Significant traffic should be expected as a result of the closure. Please drive carefully and allow extra time in your journey if this area cannot be avoided.
When will mask obligation stop on ICE train?
The new chairman of the Conference of Health Ministers, Baden-Württemberg’s head of department Manne Lucha, is calling for the stop of mandatory wearing of masks on long-distance public transport in February. “The aim should be to have uniform rules throughout Germany as of February. If the mask requirement now falls in local transport, it should also stop in long-distance transport”. However, he said he was in favor of keeping the mask requirement in medical facilities. “Vulnerable groups continue to need special protection.” Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) had recently not ruled out an early end to the mask requirement in long-distance transport and in healthcare facilities. “It may well be that we abolish the mask requirement earlier,” the SPD politician had said “He did not want to commit himself to a date, however. At present it is “still too early”, said Lauterbach. According to the current Infection Protection Act, FFP2 masks are still mandatory in long-distance buses and trains until April 7. However, the federal government could change this by simple decree. The federal states can decide for themselves about the mask obligation in local traffic. More and more states have recently overturned this. Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein have already abolished it. Berlin, Brandenburg, Thuringia, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Baden-Württemberg and Saxony want to abolish it by the beginning of next month at the latest. The managing director of the Pro-Rail Alliance, Dirk Flege, expressed a similar view. “By February 2 at the latest, when two more German states, Berlin and Brandenburg, lift the mask requirement on local trains, it should also be phased out on long-distance trains,” he said. He added that it was impossible to explain to people why they had to continue wearing masks on long-distance trains when the requirement had been abolished in air transport and in the majority of the German states. (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Jan 12)
Upcoming Fasching (Carnival) Parades:
Stuttgart Fasching parade
This normally takes place in the center of Stuttgart. Date: Shrove Tuesday, February 21, from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Following the carnival parade in Stuttgart, the celebration continues into the night in many restaurants. In any case, there is drinking, dancing and partying. Venue: In downtown Stuttgart – after the carnival parade there will be a big carnival party on Karlsplatz.
Bad Cannstatt – “Kübelesrennen” oversized wooden bucket race on Thursday, Feb 16 at 6 pm at the Marketplace Bad Cannstatt
The “Kübelesrennen” will take place on Schmotzigen Thursday on the market place Bad Cannstatt and in the northernmost stronghold of the Swabian-Alemannic Fastnacht. The race is traditionally wild. Several teams fight on a crazy course in oversized wooden buckets for the victory. Afterwards party for all Narren or fools.
Fasching parade in Weil der Stadt
Other typical Fasching parades will take place in Weil der Stadt. On Sunday, February 12, the Fool’s Jump begins at 2 pm. Guildmaster Daniel Kadasch will take over the reign of the city with his Council of Seven. The “Narren” or fools session at the local Rathaus will be opened on Thursday, February 16, which is also known as “Schmotziger”Donnerstag. However, Weil der Stadt’s big parade is on Sunday, February 19, before the season comes to an end with the burning on the Speidelsberg in the night from February 21 to 22. The Weiler Fasnet may be one of the biggest in the region, but the “foolish season” is also duly celebrated elsewhere. The Gebersheim “Leicha-Hexa”, which was founded in 2010, will celebrate its first anniversary with Schnapps after a two-year corona-related delay on January 20.
Fasching parade in Böblingen
Böblingen Fasching parade will take place on “Rosenmontag” Monday, 20 February in the city center of Böblingen. Furthermore, after the carnival parade, procession will continue in several Böblingen pubs and bars and on the Elbenplatz. For sure there will be dancing, singing, laughing and partying. Date: Shrove Monday 20.02.2023. Venue: Around the Schlossberg, on the Elbenplatz and the lower lake in Böblingen (Stuttgarter Nachrichten,Jan 12)
Weather in the Stuttgart region – In the next few days it will be quite stormy
When it comes to weekend planning, indoor activities are likely to be the main option for most in the Stuttgart area. The German Weather Service (DWD) expects strong winds, gale-force winds at times, hardly any sunshine and isolated showers in the next few days. At least temperature-wise it remains stable.
“On Thursday, we expect maximum temperatures of ten degrees,” says Christoph Herzog, meteorologist at the DWD. In the night to Friday, more clouds are moving in. “This is due to a cold front coming our way.” Friday is likely to be correspondingly uncomfortable. While the temperatures in Stuttgart climbed to a high of eleven degrees, strong to stormy gusts were to be expected. However, that is no comparison to what can be expected in parts of the Black Forest, he said. “On the Feldberg, for example, we expect hurricane-like gusts,” Herzog said.
The weather outlook for Saturday looks similar, he said, although it could be a bit less windy: again, temperatures are unlikely to drop below eight degrees and a heavy cloud cover is likely to hang over the Stuttgart region. “Now and then, there may also be smaller showers over the next few days,” says the meteorologist.
And there should be no snow on Sunday either, at least not at low altitudes: “From 400, 500 meters, there may be isolated snowfall,” says Herzog. Stuttgart is well below that – more than a few snowflakes are unlikely. On the other hand, wind speeds will pick up again and present a similar picture as on Friday. (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Jan 12)
