Because the fireworks in Cologne was canceled on New Year’s Eve, the city has considered an alternative. At midnight people should turn the lights on and off in their homes – there was a lot of ridicule for that.
The whole of Cologne should stay at home for New Year’s Eve – that was the city’s idea. Because the lighting of fireworks and firecrackers was forbidden in many places, Cologne planned another light show. But that was not well received by Cologne – with a few exceptions.
For the “Lights on. Year off” campaign, the residents of the city were asked to switch the lights on and off again at home at midnight. The idea: to make the largest fireworks display in the world in Cologne, according to the city. To do this, people should cover up, hang or light their windows with colorful stickers. Your photos should then be shown on Instagram under the hashtag #Silvesterfenster. But on January 1, there are hardly any contributions to the campaign. Has anyone even participated?
The idea of the city caused ridicule on the internet. Users dismissed it as a “stupid idea”, mocked “I don’t understand why nobody took part in my street” – or even feared a “blackout” due to an overload of the power grid.
The electricity companies had also commented on the campaign: “We recommend switching on the light and switching it off after a few minutes,” warned RheinEnergie on Twitter. “But not to switch it on and off in quick succession.”
City spokesman Alexander Vogel defended the action and previously shared a picture showing a window taped shut with colored paper. According to Vogel, it should be the work of the Cologne building officer Markus Greitemann.
At least the # New Year’s Eve window doesn’t seem to have stopped people from setting off their own fireworks. Some complaints about firecrackers noise in the city can be found on social media on New Year’s morning.
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