histoCON 2022: Frequently Asked Questions | histoCON | bpb.de

histoCON 2020 is an international history festival by the Interner Link: Federal Agency for Civic Education/Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (bpb), funded by the German Externer Link: Federal Foreign Office/Auswärtiges Amt.

Everybody aged between 18 and 30 who is interested in history, its reception and how it is linked to current issues and future developments is very welcome to apply as a participant to histoCON 2022.

histoCON 2022 will take place from Wednesday, September 7th until Saturday, September 10th, 2022. Accommodation for participants will be provided from September 7th to 11th, 2022.

histoCON 2022 will take place at "Alte Münze" (Molkenmarkt 2, 10179 Berlin).

The entire event, including excursions, activities and the evening program, will be held in English. There might be exceptions by guests, holding speeches in German. In this case we will provide English translation.

If there is a need for special assistance or a sign language interpreter, we will arrange things accordingly. Please feel free to contact our event agency at any time (E-Mail Link: histocon2022-travel@orca-affairs.de).

The workshops as well as evening program will not be open to the public. However, certain parts of the programme will be streamed online.

In case you have general questions, please contact the Info Point at site or ask a person carrying a team badge (turquoise).

You can find the festival program in the program booklet, which will be provided to you at your arrival, and online during the event.

Please check the confirmation e-mail you have received beforehand or ask at the Info Point at the entrance hall.

Please check the site plan in the program booklet or check the location map

At your arrival we will provide you with a list of all participants of your workshop. We kindly ask you to check the attendance of the workshop participants and to return the list to the Info Point afterwards.

Yes, it is mandatory to participate in the whole program.

Please contact the Info Point for help.

histoCON is an event with and for young people. Please dress as you feel comfortable and appropriate for the occasion.

Yes, the accommodation during your participation in histoCON 2022 in Berlin from September 7th until September 11th, 2022 will be provided by the Federal Agency for Civic Education/Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (bpb).

Participants of histoCON 2022 will be housed in gender-segregated hostel dorms together with fellow participants.

Workshop-Hosts of histoCON 2022 will be accommodated in hotel double rooms, together with fellow participants, also separated by gender.

If accommodation is not required for the entire period, this must be communicated to us. Any cancellation fees will otherwise be charged to you.

Yes, that is possible. However, you have to pay for the costs yourself. If you want to stay in another accommodation, please inform us as soon as possible: E-Mail Link: histocon2022-travel@orca-affairs.de.

Yes, the bpb will provide catering throughout histoCON 2022. The food will be vegetarian with vegan options. If you have any allergies please let us know via your application form.

We try to make the festival as barrier-free as possible. If you have any other accessibility requests please get in touch with our organising team via E-Mail Link: histocon2022-travel@orca-affairs.de. They will try to find solutions for your requests.

More information on the accessibility of the event will follow.

Alte Münze, Molkenmarkt 2, 10179 Berlin Stations close to Alte Münze: Metro: “Alexanderplatz”, “Rotes Rathaus” and “Klosterstraße”

Unfortunately, we cannot provide personal assistance for bringing you to your hotel or back to the airport. However, you do not need to worry: Berlin’s public transportation is safe. In combination with your ID / passport you can use the provided preliminary festival badge as a ticket for public transportation in Berlin from September 7th to 11th. You can also use this ticket for traveling from the airport to your hotel. Please notice, that this ticket is only valid for local trains and public transportation and that you need to wear a FFP2 mask. If you do not wish to use public transportation, you can also take a cab. The costs for the cab, though, will be at your own expense.

Please use your preliminary festival badge including that you have received via e-mail. In combination with your ID / passport you can use the document as a ticket for public transportation in Berlin. BER Airport – Hotel Generator Prenzlauer Berg You can use the suburban train (S45) (direction to S Südkreuz Bhf) to S+U Neukölln, change trains to Ringbahn S 42 and then get off at Landsberger Allee. From here it is a 2-minute walk to the hotel. BER Airport – Holiday Inn Express Alexanderplatz You can use the regional railway RB14 (direction Nauen), get off at Ostbahnhof and then take the suburban train S5 (direction S Westkreuz) and get off at Jannowitzbrücke. From here it is a 8-minute walk to the hotel. BER Airport – B&B Hotel Tiergarten You can use the suburban train S9 (direction Spandau Bhf) and get off at Tiergarten. From here it is only a 6-minute walk to your hotel.

Berlin Central Station - Hotel Generator Prenzlauer Berg Tram: M8 (direction Ahrensfelde/Stadtgrenze) to S Landsberger Allee. From there it is a 2-minute walk. Berlin Hbf (main station) – Holiday Inn Express Alexanderplatz Metro: U5 (direction U Tierpark) to U Rotes Rathaus. From there it is a 6-minute walk. Berlin Hbf (main station) - B&B Hotel Tiergarten Suburban train: S5 / S7 / S9 from Berlin Central Station to Tiergarten. From there it is a 6-minute walk. Please use your preliminary festival badge including that you have received via e-mail. In combination with your ID / passport you can use the document as a ticket for public transportation in Berlin from September 7th to 11th.

Hotel Generator Prenzlauer Berg – Alte Münze You can go to the stop Landsberger Allee and take the tram M1 (direction Hauptbahnhof / Central Station), which will take you to the stop Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz. Here you change to the U-Bahn U2 (direction Theodor-Heuss-Platz) and get off at Klosterstraße. From here it is a 4-minute walk to the hotel. Holiday Inn Express Alexanderplatz – Alte Münze The hotel is located right next to the festival location. It is only a 3-minute walk from here. B&B Hotel Tiergarten – Alte Münze Train: S7 (direction to Ahrensfelde) / S5 (direction to S Strausberg Nord) to Alexanderplatz. From there it is only a 9-minute walk to the event location.

Breakfast is served at your hotel. Please check the times at the hotel registration. Lunch is served at the event location from 2 to 2:30 pm. Dinner is served at the event location from 6 to 8 pm.

Fingerfood is available after the opening as well as the closing ceremony. Furthermore, we serve you limited drinks. In the late evening after the closing ceremony we have a bar on self-pay basis available.

No, breakfast at your hotel is included. Lunch and dinner are provided by histoCON. You may have acknowledged that we provide you with vegan and vegetarian meals. In doing so, we adhere to the guidelines of the German federal government for sustainable event organization.

The dinner takes place at the Indoor Catering Hall at the event location.

No, it is not mandatory. However, we would be happy if you would join for dinner to get to know the other participants.

The Federal Agency for Civic Education/Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (bpb) will provide you with a financial contribution towards your travel costs on the basis of a lump sum (one-off payment). This flat-rate travel allowance will be calculated according to your country of origin, based on your current residential address that you provide when applying. Please note that, regardless of the actual travel costs incurred and without the requirement to submit receipts, only the specified amount will be reimbursed.

The travel allowance can be used to cover all costs for transportation, insurance, visa and luggage fees, etc. Any additional costs that may arise cannot be reimbursed and must be covered by the participant. Climate neutrality: We ask participants from Europe to check whether it is possible to travel by train. If the travel costs for arrival and departure by train exceed the amount of the travel allowance, the full costs for the train journey can be reimbursed upon presentation of the original receipts (2nd class, please use special offers).

Please note: The travel allowance will be paid on the spot in cash and in euro. Payment of the travel allowance in other currencies is not possible! A prepayment or the payment of the travel allowances following the conclusion of histoCON 2022 is not possible.

The continuous participation in the workshop programme as well as in all obligatory programme elements of histoCON 2022 (from Wednesday, September 7th, 6 pm to Saturday September 10th, 9 pm) are prerequisites for the payment of the travel allowance.

More information on the amount of the financial contribution can be found in the Interner Link: Terms & Conditions for histoCON 2022.

Booking your trip is your own responsibility. Please do not book it until you have received the final confirmation of participation and you have sent your return confirmation to the organisers. You will have no right to receive the travel allowance without the final return confirmation of your participation!

Book as early as possible after receiving your final confirmation of participation to avoid high travel costs. We recommend that you take out a travel cancellation insurance policy. Once you have booked your trip, please send the respective information (arrival and departure times with date and time) to the organisation team: E-Mail Link: histocon2022-travel@orca-affairs.de.

If you have been accepted as a participant to histoCON 2022 and bindingly confirmed your participation, please reach out to us via e-mail to E-Mail Link: histocon2022-travel@orca-affairs.de and we will try our best to find a solution.

Yes, you may extend your stay in Berlin. Please note: Any prolonged stays have to be arranged and paid independently by yourself. This applies in particular to accommodation and meals outside the travel time we have defined.

The German Federal Foreign Office provides a Externer Link: list of visa requirements/exemptions for entry into the Federal republic of Germany. It gives information about whether you need to apply for Schengen visa or not, depending on your nationality and residence.

We will support your visa application process and assist in every way possible. After we have reviewed your application and admitted you to histoCON 2022, you will receive further information. Please do not start the visa application process until you have been admitted and received further information by us.

• Thursday: from 8.30 am to 9.30 am

• Friday: from 8.30 am to 09.30 am

• Saturday: from 10.00 to 11.00

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Please bring your personalized festival badge that you receive at the registration desk upon arrival every day to check in at site.

The check-in will take place in the entrance hall of the event location. You cannot miss it.

Yes, please check in every time before you are entering the event location.

No, you will be automatically checked-out by us.

No, the arrival and departure will be booked for you by our agency. Please contact our agency, which you can reach under E-Mail Link: histocon2022@orca-affairs.de.

Please cancel as soon as possible and contact our agency and the bpb.

Please use your preliminary festival badge including that you have received via e-mail. In combination with your ID / passport you can use the document as a ticket for public transportation in Berlin. BER Airport – Holiday Inn Express Alexanderplatz
You can use the regional railway RB14 (direction Nauen), get off at Ostbahnhof and then take the suburban train S5 (direction S Westkreuz) and get off at Jannowitzbrücke. From here it is a 8-minute walk to the hotel. BER Airport – B&B Hotel Tiergarten You can use the suburban train S9 (direction Spandau Bhf) and get off at Tiergarten. From here it is only a 6-minute walk to your hotel.

Berlin Hbf (main station) – Holiday Inn Express Alexanderplatz Metro: U5 (direction U Tierpark) to U Rotes Rathaus. From there it is a 6-minute walk.
 Berlin Hbf (main station) - B&B Hotel Tiergarten Suburban train: S5 / S7 / S9 from Berlin Central Station to Tiergarten. From there it is a 6-minute walk. Please use your preliminary festival badge including that you have received via e-mail. In combination with your ID / passport you can use the document as a ticket for public transportation in Berlin from September 7th to 11th. It is valid for all three tariff zones in Berlin (ABC).

Please check the site plan in the program booklet or ask at the Info Point for help.

Please arrive at your workshop room on time (30 minutes before) to check whether all the materials you have requested are available and to prepare your workshop before it starts. Please also check the technical set up. In case you have technical problems, please contact the Info Point.

Yes, basic technical equipment is provided including screens, speakers, adapters for laptops, HDMI, and moderation kits (standard presentation suitcase equipment). The rooms are equipped with chairs and tables and can be set up as you wish.

Yes, we will provide you with the equipment you have specified beforehand.

Please bring both formats, PDF and PPT, on an USB Stick.

The participants will be provided with small note pads.

Yes. In case you have technical problems, please contact the Info Point.

Please notify the team at the Info Point immediately.

Please use the lump sum for workshop material to print texts etc. for your workshop. You could print it at copy shops nearby the event location (e.g. Repro Central at Wallstraße 15, 10179 Berlin) or nearby/in your hotel. There will be printers available at the event location, but for last minute and emergency purposes only. Please be aware that histoCON is an environmentally friendly event, that is why we kindly ask you to reduce paper consumption as much as possible.

Yes, you can participate in the other workshops.

At the festival there is an unguarded checkroom where you can keep your jacket or small bag. We therefore kindly ask you to leave important items at the hotel or to keep these always with you.

During the festival, we comply with the Corona Protection Ordinance of the State of Berlin (https://www.berlin.de/corona/en/measures/directive/). It is possible that this will change after we sent you this FAQ, which we will communicate accordingly on site. There is currently no obligation to test, no obligation to provide proof of vaccination and no obligation to wear a mask when attending events. Yet, the pandemic is not over. For your own protection we recommend that you wear a mask if the safety distance of 1.5 meters cannot be maintained. In case you feel sick, please do not come to the festival and inform us immediately via histoCON2022@orca-affairs.de or the emergency number +49 30 84370899.

Please contact us via E-Mail Link: histocon2022-travel@orca-affairs.de and cancel your participation. We will then check to what extent we can still reimburse you for the costs incurred.

If you travel by public transport in Germany, you must wear a FFP2 mask both on the platform and in the vehicle. Apart of that, there are currently no general valid corona regulations in Germany. However, individual shops or organizations can set up their own special rules. For this purpose, it is always good to have a mask with you.

If you are infected with Corona, you must immediately go into isolation. The quarantine period in Germany lasts at least 5 days. If you are symptom-free again for at least two days and your test result is negative, you can leave quarantine. Please inform us instantly via histoCON2022@orca-affairs.de, if you have a Corona infection.

We do not pay for PCR or rapid tests. If you need a test to enter your home country, you must organise and pay for it yourself. You can buy rapid tests in drugstores or pharmacies. If you need help finding a testing site, please contact the Info Point at the festival site.

Fischerinsel Apotheke, Gertraudenstr. 18 10178 Berlin-Mitte Opening hours: Mo – Fr 8 am – 7 pm Sa 8.30 am – 2 pm

Police: 110 Ambulance / Fire brigade: 112 histoCON emergency.: +49 30 84370899 (24 hours in service) E-Mail: histocon2022@orca-affairs.de Contact on site: At our Info Point, our team is at your disposal every day during the festival. Opening hours: Thursday: from 8.30 am to 20.00 am Friday: from 8.30 am to 20.00 am
Saturday: from 9.30 to 20.00 am

We do our best to make this event as inspiring and smooth as possible, but, of course, things can go wrong or turn out differently than expected. We ask for your understanding and apologize for inconveniences that may occurred to you. You would like to give us feedback? After the event, we will send you a survey and ask for your feedback. Of course, we love to read positive feedback, but we learn from fair criticism for future events – so do not hesitate to be honest.