Christmas with the family? These people from Munich work while we are partying
Munich – During these days, one or the other is probably already working on his out-of-office notice for the e-mail inbox. The holidays are approaching and for many there are at least a few days of rest over the holidays.
But in many industries the silent night is not quiet at all and on New Year’s Eve the corks don’t pop at midnight either, but you get a coffee to stay awake at the machine in the office.
What is it like to work when most are partying? We asked four people from different work areas that. On these two pages, SHE can read what annoys her about the holiday service, but also what she enjoys about it.
Taxi driver Frank Götz (37): “A very special atmosphere in the city”
Frank Götz works as a taxi driver in Munich.
“I liked to work on my own at Christmas. A lot of older people depend on a taxi during that time and you drive to church services or to see relatives – you have a lot to do very well. Of course, you like to celebrate with your family at home, but I always liked to be out on the holidays.
Christmas Eve is a very special atmosphere in the city. But a lot has changed since Corona. In general, few people drive taxis, the bars and discos are closed, hotels are poorly attended and most trade fairs have been canceled. It’s pretty tough for us because we have to and are allowed to continue to drive taxis.
Not all colleagues got through the Corona period well. I’m sure that Christmas will be a lot quieter than usual this year. People are more likely to stay at home and not go to church services as often. I very much hope that something will return to normal next year.
Protocol: Paul Nöllke
Firefighter Alexandra Römer (37): “It burns often on Christmas Eve”
Alexandra Römer is a fire officer with the Munich professional fire brigade.
“This year ends with a triple for me: I work on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and then on New Year’s Eve. We always work 24-hour shifts. They start at 7 a.m. and then go on until the next morning During this time, I take on management tasks in the operational operations business and support the operations management service on site.
When there are no missions, I’ll be at the main fire station on these days. For 17 years I’ve actually always been working on the holidays at the turn of the year. I don’t mind, friends and family have come to terms with it. I think it is more important that colleagues who have families and young children get days off.
It doesn’t get boring at the fire department at the turn of the year, almost every time we have fires on Christmas Eve. Advent wreaths that go up in flames, or sometimes a burning Christmas tree, where someone was too careless with the wax candles. Sometimes it is also relief operations that we are called to when someone is injured. That happens often than you think – mostly alcohol plays a big role in people. On New Year’s Eve, there are often accidents with fireworks. But probably not much will happen this year because of the ban on firecrackers.
I look forward to the free time between shifts. I live near Schliersee. The mountains are practically on your doorstep. I go skiing on the slopes when the corona situation allows. Otherwise I’ll go on a ski hike. Depending on the weather, I also like to go jogging or cycling. After a few hundred meters of altitude, such a holiday menu tastes much better and you don’t have to worry about the many calories. I already worked through them beforehand. If I have time, I will think about the next vacation. A friend and I would like to take our dog on a camping holiday in Slovenia. Unfortunately, it had to be canceled this year due to the pandemic. But dreaming of the next summer vacation is also a lot of fun.
I hope that we will finally leave Corona behind us next year. For me, the New Year’s shift is the start of a new year in which one can meet up with friends again without much planning, go to the beer garden or go on vacation. “
Protocol: Ralph Hub
Police officer Magdalena Sixt (26): “Colleagues with families have priority”
Magdalena Sixt, is the chief police officer and works in the old town district, PI 11.
“I’m particularly looking forward to Christmas this year, because I have Christmas Eve off for the first time. It’s my grandfather’s birthday, we can all celebrate it in the family and go to Christmas mass in the evening. I haven’t been able to do that for a long time because I was on the shift schedule over the Christmas holidays. If you are on early duty the next day, you think twice about whether it can be later in the evening. I just hope that the corona pandemic does not affect us at Christmas as it did last year I am vaccinated and will definitely get tested before I go to see my grandparents, I will be completely safe and not take any chances.
Over the holidays I will relax, spend a lot of time with the family and enjoy having the time not having to constantly pay attention to the shift schedule. Otherwise I like to work on the holidays. Last year we had a joint veal sausage breakfast at the office. That was very nice and there was not a single mission in between, that is a matter of luck and can change very quickly. With us, your colleagues, who have families and small children, have priority at Christmas. Christmas Eve is especially beautiful under the Christmas tree with large, amazed children’s eyes.
Christmas on PI 11 is actually quite nice too. The shifts are usually very calm, which is due to the fact that relatively few people live in our area of application compared to other parts of the city. But there is a lot more going on here at the turn of the year. All the clubs and bars are in our area, the party mile – but everything has now been closed again.
After Christmas I’ll be back on normal duty. We usually have a lot going on on New Year’s Eve. People celebrate at Stachus and in the pedestrian zone. Due to the firecrackers and missile ban last year and the corona restrictions, the turn of the year 2020/21 was very quiet. It could well be that New Year’s Eve 2021/22 will be pretty quiet again. “
Protocol: Ralph Hub
Judge Dr. Christiane Rapp-Gazic (47): “The service does not differ”
Family judge Dr. Christiane Rapp-Gazic (47) is responsible for supervision proceedings at the local court.
“The circle of acquaintances is usually surprised when I tell them that as a judge you are on duty in the clinic at Christmas. What does the court do in the hospital? And on public holidays?
The background is that for the closed placement of patients in the psychiatric clinic, a provisional approval is required if the person is not placed in the placement against their will due to their state of health.
In the case of minors, court approval is always required, even if the parents agree. Since the court hearing dies on the day after the placement and the on-call judge, at Christmas. In contrast to negotiations in the courthouse itself, no robes are worn during appointments in the clinics.
This Year the on-call duty on Christmas Eve will be mine. The clerk of the minutes, who doesn’t celebrate Christmas at all and who voluntarily takes on several duties at the same time, and a curator ad litem in the clinics come with me. Those affected are then visited together in the various Munich clinics and heard.
The service at Christmas does not differ from any other service. The closed accommodation is always a profound intervention. It is only permissible if die otherwise seriously endanger yourself or others. That has to be weighed up in each individual case. This is no different at Christmas than on other days. Many of those affected in geriatric psychiatry are also so sick that they are not even aware of the festival. Nevertheless, the clinic wards are decorated for Christmas. The clinics are working together to allow patients with severe dementia to take part in the Christmas festival.
However, it is difficult in child and adolescent psychiatry. In my perception, the admission of children and adolescents to psychiatry has increased significantly recently. The clinics are so full that some emergency beds have to be set up. In the majority of cases, admission occurs because of an acute risk of suicide. That is worrying. The children and young people are often very torn, especially at Christmas. On the one hand, they have a great desire to come home to their family. On the other hand, they are so sick that they urgently need treatment.
As a judge, of course, I see this dichotomy. However, the judicial decision here at Christmas must not be any different than on other days. If the closed accommodation of the children and young people is necessary for their protection, it must also be approved by the judge at Christmas. How long the service and Christmas will last can never be said in advance. Sometimes I’m home in the afternoon, sometimes not until later in the evening. That’s why I haven’t planned on anything big for Christmas Eve. It’s nice when I can start the party with the family, I just come along later. “
Protocol: John Schneider