Small employers and freelancers like artists, fashion designers, computer programmers, hair stylists, web designers, coffee shop owners and club operators account for a quarter of all business in Berlin. They were too small to qualify for the initial aid from the federal government that was aimed primarily at keeping big business afloat, leading the city to set up a rescue package meant specifically for them.

Across Europe, countries from Austria to Italy, France and Spain have quickly drawn up relief packages aimed at not only preventing larger business from laying off employees, but also ensuring that small entrepreneurs are able to make basic payments. A worker who loses a job qualifies for unemployment benefits, but government orders to stay at home put self-employed people in an unusual position — not out of a job, strictly speaking, but unable to work.

Nowhere have the benefits been as generous, or as swift, as in Berlin — a city that has become the butt of endless jokes over its perpetual inability to open an international airport, originally slated to begin passenger service in 2011.

“Three days waiting to be called up, then about 10 minutes to fill out the form and after two days, the money was in my account,” George Kvasnikov, an interface and graphic designer, said over Twitter. “Very stress-free.”

Italy introduced payments of nearly $650 for self-employed and seasonal workers on Wednesday. Within hours of opening applications, the website of the country’s social security agency crashed under the deluge of requests — 300 per second by Thursday morning. The authorities will vet the applications before making payments.