At the show at the Brandenburg Gate, performances by rapper Shirin David and other stars such as Maite Kelly, Bausa, Esther Graf, Nemo and Peter Schilling were planned. High security precautions were in place. Fireworks were not allowed. Knives and weapons were forbidden on the party mile and the surrounding area. A total of around 4,000 police officers are expected to ensure security on New Year’s Eve. They are supported by the federal police. Fire departments and aid organizations are active with more than 1,500 emergency services.
Water supply temporarily stopped after pipe burst
In the meantime, the water went out in large parts of Berlin. The reason was pipe damage in the Wedding district, as Berliner Wasserbetriebe announced on X. According to a spokeswoman, technicians were able to stop the flow from the defective pipe. The water pressure has built up again.
Prohibited zones for firecrackers
The Berlin police had set up their announced ban zones for firecrackers and other fireworks early on New Year’s Eve. In addition to the area around the Brandenburg Gate, barriers were set up in the Steinmetzkiez in Berlin-Schöneberg. There were also no firecracker zones at Alexanderplatz in Mitte and in parts of Sonnenallee and side streets in Neukölln.
In the north, people were preparing for a stormy New Year’s Eve. The German Weather Service warned of hurricane gusts in the Harz Mountains. Gusts of wind are to be expected on the North and Baltic Seas. As NDR reports, several ferry connections have stopped operating.
Many countries are already celebrating the turn of the year
People in Asia and the South Pacific started the year 2025 with fireworks and firecrackers. The residents of the South Sea atoll of Kiritimati, which is part of the island state of Kiribati, were the first to welcome the New Year. New Zealand, the two island states of Samoa and Tonga and Australia followed shortly afterwards. In Sydney, the traditional fireworks display took place against the backdrop of the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House.
Big shows in Asian cities
There were also spectacular light shows in many Asian cities. In Bangkok, the Chao Phraya River was once again the focus, where many revelers traveled on party boats to experience the mega fireworks display up close. Thailand, which follows the Buddhist calendar, starts in the year 2568. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the 452-meter-high Petronas Towers, once the tallest building in the world, were at the center of an impressive light show.
American Samoa will be the last country to welcome the New Year – twelve hours after Germany. The country is located just 220 kilometers east of Samoa on the other side of the International Date Line.
This message was sent on January 1st, 2025 on the Deutschlandfunk program.
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