Except for the national holiday (German Unity Day), public holidays in Germany (gesetzliche Feiertage) are determined by the federal states and can thereby vary or not considered as holidays at all on some states.
The most important public holidays are:
|
Public Holiday |
Local name |
Date |
|
New Year’s Day |
Neujahrstag |
January 1 |
|
Epiphany |
Heilige Drei Könige |
January 6 |
|
Shrove Monday |
Rosenmontag |
Date depends on Easter |
|
Good Friday |
Karfreitag |
Easter Sunday – 2d |
|
Easter Sunday |
Ostersonntag |
Easter Sunday (varies from year to year) |
|
Easter Monday |
Ostermontag |
Easter Sunday + 1d |
|
Labour Day |
Tag der Arbeit |
May 1 |
|
Ascension Day |
Christi Himmelfahrt |
Easter Sunday + 39d |
|
Whit Sunday |
Pfingssonntag |
Easter Sunday + 49d |
|
Whit Monday |
Pfingstmontag |
Easter Sunday + 50d |
|
Corpus Christi |
Fronleichnam |
Easter Sunday + 60d |
|
Peace Festival (only in the city of Augsburg) |
Friedensfest |
August 8 |
|
Assumption Day |
Maria Himmelfahrt |
August 15 |
|
German Unity Day |
Tag der Deutschen Einheit |
October 3 |
|
Reformation Day |
Reformationstag |
October 31 |
|
All Saints |
Allerheiligen |
November 1 |
|
Repentance Day |
Buß- und Bettag |
Wed. before November 23 |
|
Christmas Day |
Erster Weihnachtsfeiertag |
December 25 |
|
St Stephen’s Day |
Zweiter Weihnachtsfeiertag |
December 26 |
Carnival Monday – “Rose Monday” – is a holiday in some towns and cities in Catholic western and southern Germany which have a strong Carnival tradition as Cologne for example, which is famous for its Carnival festival.
Furthermore, there are several holidays which do not count to the national holidays (see above) but are rather “unofficially” celebrated:
|
Holiday |
Local name |
Date |
|
Valentinesday |
Valentinstag |
February 14 |
|
April Fool’s Day |
Erster April |
April 1 |
|
Mother’s Day |
Muttertag |
Second Sunday in May |
|
Father’s Day |
Vatertag |
On Ascension Day |
|
Walpurgis Night |
Walpurgisnacht |
30. April, the night before May Day It is similar to Halloween in that it has to do with supernatural spirits (witches) |
|
John’s Day |
Johannistag |
June 24 |
|
St. Swithin’s Day |
Siebenschläfer |
June 27 The mythos that if it rains on this day it will rain for the next seven weeks. This holiday is very much like Groundhog Day. |
|
Halloween |
Halloween |
October 31 Halloween is not a traditional German celebration, but in recent years it has become increasingly popular in Germany. |
|
Martinmas |
Martinstag |
November 11 Traditional roast goose (Martinsgans) and lanterns light processsions for children on the evening of the 10th. The 11th is also the official start of Fasching/Carnival in Catholic regions. |
|
St. Nicholas Day |
Nikolaustag |
December 6 On this day the white-bearded Weihnachtsmann (Christmas man) brings gifts to children who have left their shoes in front of the door the night before. Christmas presents are given on Christmas Eve by the Christkind (Christchild), NOT by Santa. |
|
Christmas Eve |
Heiligabend |
December 24 This is when the food is eaten and the presents (die Bescherung) are received around the Christmas tree (der Tannenbaum) from family members, friends and das Christkind (Christchild). In America, the main celebration on the 25th, but in Europe the main celebration is on the 24th. |
|
First Sunday of Advent |
Erster Advent |
The four-week Advent period leading up to Christmas is an important part of the German Christmas celebration, which begins on the first Sunday of advent, and ends on the 6th of January (Epiphany or Heilige drei König). Advent marks the opening of thefamous open-air Christmas Markets. |
|
National Day of Mourning |
Volkstrauertag |
In November on the Sunday two weeks prior to the first Advent Sunday. This is similar to the US’s “Veteran’s Day,” except that it commemorates the deaths of all the victims killed by Nazis during the first and second World Wars. |
