KIRMES & Park REVUE (English) Special: Rouen (Vorschau)

CHRISTMAS MARKETS
WEIHNACHTSMÄRKTE 2011 IN DEUTSCHLAND – TEIL 2
As there was not enough
space left for all our Christmas
Market reports in our
February issue, this second
part is a look back at the
markets in Berlin, Potsdam
and Bochum.
Text:
Ralf Schmitt, Helmut Bresler
Photos: Ralf Schmitt, Helmut Bresler,
Heiko Schimanzik, Archiv
Leading impresarios on the
Alexanderplatz: Bergmann’s
new pyramid and Langenberg’s
horse carousel
The large Berlin Christmas
Market at the “Alexa” Centre
Berlin
The many Berlin Christmas Markets, from the
traditional market with fairground character on the
“Alexa”, the festive markets at the “Rotes Rathaus”
on the Alexanderplatz, the Gedächtniskirche and the
elitist market on Gendarmenmarkt, to the suburban
Christmas Markets such as the one in Spandau,
once again provided visitors with ample variety.
On Alexanderplatz, the most famous Berlin square,
the ice rink from the Bergmann firm was a crowd
puller on the market. The void left by a missing ride
in this location during the last few years was filled for
the first time by the “Venezianisches Pferdekarussell”
from Langenbach – and most conspicuously
too! The same was true of the huge pyramid from the
Jacob firm last year, and the brand new “Bergmann-
Pyramid” celebrated its Christmas Market première
on Alexanderplatz (see KPR 2/2012). Only some 100
metres from this famous venue, the large Berlin
Christmas market behind the “Alexa” Centre enticed
the public.
After a break in 2010, the Steiger Ferris Wheel was
built up there once again, the LED lighting array of
which brought a spectacular impression to the whole
capital. In addition to the regular participants, such
as “Magic”, “Breakdance”, “Schlittenfahrt”, “Revolution”
“Star Flyer” “Wilde Maus”, “Psychodelic” and the
two Ghost Rides from Rasch, the “Take Off”, the gi-
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