City takes action: “We don’t want a Frankfurt Ballermann”

In April, Frankfurt's Alt-Sachsenhausen bar district hosted a high-profile visit. Mayor Mike Josef (SPD), Public Order Commissioner Annette Rinn (FDP), and Police Chief Stefan Müller wanted to assess the situation. Residents had repeatedly complained about noise and dirt in recent months.

That evening, however, it was comparatively quiet. "There was an almost ghostly atmosphere," recalls Oliver Tamagnini, who was also present at the tour as spokesperson for the residents' initiative founded a few weeks earlier. The reason is obvious to him: The on-site inspection did not go unnoticed by the operators of the music venues, as the police arrived at the same time with a large number of emergency personnel. "Then the music systems were simply turned down."

Nevertheless, Tamagnini is optimistic that the situation will soon improve for residents who often struggle to sleep at night, especially on weekends. "We are being heard," he says. The city invited those affected, and more than 80 people attended. Meetings were also held with restaurateurs, many of whom are also suffering from the conditions. However, the "black sheep" who don't follow the rules are difficult to reach.

Public Order Commissioner Rinn has now announced that she will be deploying increased numbers of city police to the neighborhood. "In Alt-Sachsenhausen, it's not just about crime and security issues, but also about misdemeanors," she says. "Public urination, littering, and noise are the main problems."

The city police intend to address this issue: Until the summer, they plan to increase monitoring in the neighborhood. Specially trained city police teams will conduct noise measurements. Those who violate the limits will initially be warned. In the case of repeated violations, music systems will be confiscated if necessary.

The city police are targeting not only restaurateurs, but also visitors to the district. "Anyone who carelessly throws glasses and bottles, pizza boxes, disposable tableware, and other objects on the ground can expect a fine," the department announced.

According to the city, two targeted inspections by the city and state police were conducted in April. During the first inspection, 21 administrative offenses and two criminal proceedings were initiated. In Kleine Rittergasse, the district's central party area, restaurateurs were "instructed and admonished." They were asked to close doors and windows and reduce the volume of music. The outcome was similar during the second inspection, during which four additional illegal slot machines were seized.

Local resident Tamagnini hopes the measures won't be a flash in the pan. "We've often seen that after a period of intensive controls, everything returns to normal." He advocates exploiting all legal options, including, for example, imposing a curfew on individual businesses that don't comply with the rules.

However, he does not consider a general restriction on the opening hours of restaurants to be sensible: "When the bars close, everyone is out on the street, and the noise continues there." Especially since the growing number of kiosks in Alt-Sachsenhausen that sell not only alcohol but, at least for now, the popular drug laughing gas, would not be affected by a curfew.

Public Order Commissioner Rinn announces that the city, together with the state police, will increase its presence on weekends. "Alt-Sachsenhausen has been a popular bar district for decades, where people enjoy going out. That shouldn't change in the future," she says. "What we don't want, however, is a Frankfurt-style Ballermann. That doesn't fit our city because it represents unbridled party culture and recklessness."

The Public Order Department is therefore not only relying on repression, but also on appeals to the celebrating public. Posters and beer mats will be used to urge visitors to behave considerately.

Martin-Benedikt Schäfer, security policy spokesman for the CDU parliamentary group in the Römer, doesn't think much of the appeals. "Beer mats won't solve the problems," he says. The CDU has requested the installation of video surveillance, at least for a limited time. "The cameras already helped during the European Football Championship," says Schäfer. The city parliament has not yet decided on the request.

The state police, however, are already keeping an eye on the issue of video surveillance. According to the authorities, the temporarily installed camera during the European Football Championship enabled crimes committed to be documented and prosecuted. The city is not opposed to this. According to Security Director Rinn, a permanently installed system is currently being considered. However, no decision has been made yet.

Rinn announced that he would take stock in July. If necessary, further measures would be taken then—for example, temporary alcohol bans, increased lighting in dark alleys, and shortening curfews.