Circus Renz Berlin’s fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go.
"It's catastrophic for everybody," said Sarina Renz, of the family circus that has been in existence since 1842.
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Circus Renz Berlin’s fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go.
The German circus’ animals, including eight Siberian steppe camels, 15 horses and a llama, are spending their time in sandy fields munching their way through the circus’ supply of food and supplies donated by locals.
Children from the family pass the time playing around the trucks and animals and get home schooling -- that’s new for most children in the Netherlands but not for the Renz family, who usually are moving from one show location to the next too often to attend a regular school.
Sarina Renz strokes a Friesian stallion, one of the many animals of the stranded Renz Circus, as they feats on carrots donated by local farmers in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
One of the children of the Renz Circus family plays around the trucks and animals stranded due to the coronavirus outbreak in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday March 31, 2020. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
Madeleine Renz, an eighteen-year-old circus artist, strokes one of the eight Siberian Steppe camels, stranded due to the coronavirus outbreak in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
Horses of the stranded Renz Circus feast on carrots donated by local farmers in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
A Friesian stallion runs past Sarina Renz during feeding time for the stranded animals of the Renz Circus in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. "It's catastrophic for everybody", said Sarina Renz, of the German family circus that has been in existence since 1842. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
Madeleine Renz, an eighteen-year-old circus artist, feeds donated carrots to one of the eight Siberian Steppe camels, stranded in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
The eight Siberian Steppe camels, of the stranded Renz Circus eat donated food in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
One of the children of the Renz Circus family plays around the stranded trucks and animals in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. "It's catastrophic for everybody," said Sarina Renz, of the German family circus that has been in existence since 1842. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
For the foreseeable future, the circus is parked up behind an equestrian center in a northern Dutch town, waiting and hoping for an end to the crisis.
Madeleine Renz, an eighteen-year-old circus artist, feeds donated carrots to the eight Siberian Steppe camels, stranded in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. "It's catastrophic for everybody," said Sarina Renz, of the German family circus that has been in existence since 1842. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
The German circus’ animals, including eight Siberian steppe camels, 15 horses and a llama, are spending their time in sandy fields munching their way through the circus’ supply of food and supplies donated by locals.
"We have food, but not for long. We're already nearly through our reserves. Now other people have helped by bringing things for the coming weeks. We've got supplies from people, that's really fantastic."
There are 18 members of the extended Renz family on hand to look after the animals, other performers have already been sent home, Sarina said.
Children of the Renz Circus family play around the stranded trucks and animals in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. "It's catastrophic for everybody," said Sarina Renz, of the German family circus that has been in existence since 1842. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
Children from the family pass the time playing around the trucks and animals and get home schooling -- that’s new for most children in the Netherlands but not for the Renz family, who usually are moving from one show location to the next too often to attend a regular school.
For now, the family has to get used to a more stationary way of life, but one without the lifeblood of the circus: The public.
"We're just used to performing our shows. That's our life,” says Sarina. “We live to make other people happy with our shows, our attractions."
Madeleine Renz, an eighteen-year-old circus artist, cuddles one of the eight Siberian Steppe camels, stranded in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
Sarina Renz strokes a Friesian stallion, one of the many animals of the stranded Renz Circus, as they feats on carrots donated by local farmers in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
One of the children of the Renz Circus family plays around the trucks and animals stranded due to the coronavirus outbreak in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday March 31, 2020. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
Madeleine Renz, an eighteen-year-old circus artist, strokes one of the eight Siberian Steppe camels, stranded due to the coronavirus outbreak in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
Horses of the stranded Renz Circus feast on carrots donated by local farmers in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
A Friesian stallion runs past Sarina Renz during feeding time for the stranded animals of the Renz Circus in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. "It's catastrophic for everybody", said Sarina Renz, of the German family circus that has been in existence since 1842. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
Madeleine Renz, an eighteen-year-old circus artist, feeds donated carrots to one of the eight Siberian Steppe camels, stranded in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
The eight Siberian Steppe camels, of the stranded Renz Circus eat donated food in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)
One of the children of the Renz Circus family plays around the stranded trucks and animals in Drachten, northern Netherlands, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The circus fleet of blue, red and yellow trucks have had a fresh lick of paint over the winter. But now, as coronavirus measures shut down the entertainment industry across Europe, they have no place to go. "It's catastrophic for everybody," said Sarina Renz, of the German family circus that has been in existence since 1842. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)