H. E. S. S. Collaboration, Attila Abramowski, Felix A. Aharonian, Faical Ait Benkhali, A. G. Akhperjanian, Ekrem Oǧuzhan Angüner, Gisela Anton, Shangkari Balenderan, Arnim Balzer, Anna Barnacka, Yvonne Becherini, J. Becker Tjus, K. Bernlöhr, E. Birsin, E. Bissaldi, Jonathan Biteau, Markus Boettcher, Catherine Boisson, J. Bolmont, Pol Bordas, J. Brucker, Francois Brun, Pierre Brun, Tomasz Bulik, Svenja Carrigan, Sabrina Casanova, M. Cerruti, Paula M. Chadwick, R. Chalme-Calvet, Ryan C. G. Chaves, A. Cheesebrough, M. Chretien, Sergio Colafrancesco, Gabriele Cologna, Jan Conrad, C. Couturier, Y. Cui, M. Dalton, M. K. Daniel, I. D. Davids, B. Degrange, C. Deil, P. de Wilt, H. J. Dickinson, A. Djannati-Ataï, W. Domainko, G. Dubus, K. Dutson, J. Dyks, M. Dyrda, T. Edwards, Kathrin Egberts, P. Eger, P. Espigat, C. Farnier, S. Fegan, F. Feinstein, M. V. Fernandes, D. Fernandez, A. Fiasson, G. Fontaine, A. Foerster, M. Fuessling, M. Gajdus, Y. A. Gallant, T. Garrigoux, G. Giavitto, B. Giebels, J. F. Glicenstein, M. -H. Grondin, M. Grudzinska, S. Haeffner, J. Hahn, J. Harris, G. Heinzelmann, G. Henri, G. Hermann, O. Hervet, A. Hillert, James Anthony Hinton, W. Hofmann, P. Hofverberg, M. Holler, Dieter Horns, A. Jacholkowska, C. Jahn, M. Jamrozy, M. Janiak, F. Jankowsky, I. Jung, M. A. Kastendieck, K. Katarzynski, U. Katz, S. Kaufmann, B. Khelifi, M. Kieffer, S. Klepser, D. Klochkov, W. Kluzniak, T. Kneiske, D. Kolitzus, Nu. Komin, K. Kosack, S. Krakau, F. Krayzel, P. P. Krueger, H. Laffon, G. Lamanna, J. Lefaucheur, A. Lemiere, M. Lemoine-Goumard, J. -P. Lenain, D. Lennarz, T. Lohse, A. Lopatin, C. -C. Lu, V. Marandon, Alexandre Marcowith, R. Marx, G. Maurin, N. Maxted, M. Mayer, T. J. L. McComb, J. Mehault, P. J. Meintjes, U. Menzler, M. Meyer, R. Moderski, M. Mohamed, Emmanuel Moulin, T. Murach, C. L. Naumann, M. de Naurois, J. Niemiec, S. J. Nolan, L. Oakes, S. Ohm, E. de Ona Wilhelmi, B. Opitz, M. Ostrowski, I. Oya, M. Panter, R. D. Parsons, M. Paz Arribas, N. W. Pekeur, G. Pelletier, J. Perez, P. -O. Petrucci, B. Peyaud, S. Pita, H. Poon, G. Puehlhofer, M. Punch, A. Quirrenbach, S. Raab, M. Raue, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, M. Renaud, R. de los Reyes, F. Rieger, L. Rob, C. Romoli, S. Rosier-Lees, G. Rowell, B. Rudak, C. B. Rulten, V. Sahakian, David M. Sanchez, A. Santangelo, R. Schlickeiser, F. Schuessler, A. Schulz, U. Schwanke, S. Schwarzburg, S. Schwemmer, H. Sol, G. Spengler, F. Spies, L. Stawarz, R. Steenkamp, Christian Stegmann, F. Stinzing, Kornelia Stycz, Iurii Sushch, A. Szostek, J. -P. Tavernet, T. Tavernier, A. M. Taylor, R. Terrier, M. Tluczykont, C. Trichard, K. Valerius, C. van Eldik, B. van Soelen, G. Vasileiadis, C. Venter, A. Viana, P. Vincent, H. J. Voelk, F. Volpe, M. Vorster, T. Vuillaume, S. J. Wagner, P. Wagner, M. Ward, M. Weidinger, Q. Weitzel, R. White, A. Wierzcholska, P. Willmann, A. Woernlein, D. Wouters, V. Zabalza, M. Zacharias, A. Zajczyk, A. A. Zdziarski, Alraune Zech, H. -S. Zechlin

• Context. On March 4, 2013 the Fermi-EAT and AGILE reported a flare from the direction of the Crab nebula in which the high-energy (HE; E > 100 MeV) flux was six times above its quiescent level. Simultaneous observations in other energy bands give us hints about the emission processes during the flare episode and the physics of pulsar wind nebulae in general. Aims. We search for variability in the emission of the Crab nebula at very-high energies (VHF,; E > 100 GeV), using contemporaneous data taken with the H.E.S.S. array of Cherenkov telescopes. Methods. Observational data taken with the H.E.S.S. instrument on five consecutive days during the flare were analysed for the flux and spectral shape of the emission from the Crab nebula. Night-wise light curves are presented with energy thresholds of 1 TeV and 5 TeV. Results. The observations conducted with H.E.S.S. on March 6 to March 10, 2013 show no significant changes in the flux. They limit the variation in the integral flux above 1 TeV to less than 63% and the integral flux above 5Context. On March 4, 2013 the Fermi-EAT and AGILE reported a flare from the direction of the Crab nebula in which the high-energy (HE; E > 100 MeV) flux was six times above its quiescent level. Simultaneous observations in other energy bands give us hints about the emission processes during the flare episode and the physics of pulsar wind nebulae in general. Aims. We search for variability in the emission of the Crab nebula at very-high energies (VHF,; E > 100 GeV), using contemporaneous data taken with the H.E.S.S. array of Cherenkov telescopes. Methods. Observational data taken with the H.E.S.S. instrument on five consecutive days during the flare were analysed for the flux and spectral shape of the emission from the Crab nebula. Night-wise light curves are presented with energy thresholds of 1 TeV and 5 TeV. Results. The observations conducted with H.E.S.S. on March 6 to March 10, 2013 show no significant changes in the flux. They limit the variation in the integral flux above 1 TeV to less than 63% and the integral flux above 5 TeV to less than 78% at a 95% confidence level.…