The
town is now preparing for the arrival of the reigning world
champions Brazil June 4. Amid all the joy about the publicity
which the host cities and their selected hotels will be certain
to gain, they also often face a number of logistical and security
challenges.
For
example, there is Baden-Baden, where the Schlosshotel Buehlerhoehe
will be hosting the English national team.
But
for some 5,000 English fans, a five-hectare field has been
rented near the village of Achern, some 20 km away, where
the "England Camp" of tents will be set up.
Koenigstein
is spending some one-half million euros ($625,000) for its
role of hosting the world champions from Brazil.
The
town expects up to 7,000 visitors, who will daily be given
a bit of the Copacabana feeling with caiprinha cocktails and
beach soccer parties.
But
despite the folk festival atmosphere for the fans, the soccer
stars in Koenigstein will be kept well shielded from the public.
Similarly
elegant and equally shielded will be the German national team
when they take up quarters at the Schlosshotel in Berlin's
district of Grunewald.
The
entire area around the impressive palatial hotel, built in
the style of a French castle, will be hermetically sealed
off and guarded round-the-clock.
Protective
measures will be especially keen for the guests in Friedrichshafen
and in Hamburg.
Friedrichshafen,
located on Lake Constance, will be hosting Iran's national
team, prompting Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble to express
some concern about security issues.
"We
will be using both open and covert measures around the clock
in order to guarantee the safety of the Iranian delegation,"
says Bernhard Weber, head of security operations for the local
police department in Friedrichshafen.
Hamburg,
as well, faces a challenge with the USA national team set
to reside in the Park Hyatt hotel directly in the centre of
the city.
Preparations
are meanwhile going into high gear in the individual hotels
around the country. Everywhere, hotel personnel are practising
foreign language phrases so that the prominent guests from
abroad can feel a bit at home.
"Even
the hotel maids are going to be able to say 'hello, in Ukrainian,"
says Hartmut Pirl from Seminaris Seehotel hotel in Potsdam.
