German public holidays in 2023
National and regional holidays in Germany
Germany has public, school, and regional/national holidays, like many other nations globally. A public holiday is a day off that is typically non-working and is generally declared by law. A national or regional holiday is a day when employees are excused from work, typically in observance of a special event or holiday. The factors taken into account and the days a government chooses for a public holiday differ. It is essential to understand that while all public holidays are not considered national holidays, all national holidays are, by default, public holidays. Below are a few commonly celebrated holidays in Germany.
Dates of German holidays in 2023
- January 1: New Year’s Day (National)
- January 6: Epiphany (Regional)
- February 15: Fasching
- April 02: Good Friday (National)
- April 05: Easter Monday (National)
- May 1: Labor Day (National)
- May 9: Mother’s Day (Muttertag)
- May 13: Ascension Day (National)
- May 24: Whit Monday (National)
- June 3: Corpus Christi (Regional)
- August 8: Peace Festival (Regional)
- August 15: Assumption Day (Regional)
- October 3: Day of German Unity (National)
- October 31: Reformation Day (Regional)
- November 1: All Saints’ Day (Regional)
- November 17: Day of Prayer and Repentance (Regional)
- December 25: Christmas Day (National)
- December 26: Boxing Day/St. Stephen’s Day (National)
Public holidays in Germany
New Year's Day
Silvester, or New Year's Eve, kicks off the New Year's celebrations on the evening of December 31. A German sparkling wine called "Sekt" and sumptuous meals are often served at Silvester celebrations, which are named for Saint Silvester, a Pope from the fourth century.
Labour Day
Labour Day is celebrated every year on May 1 in Germany. The day honours workers, their rights, and their contributions to the economy and society, as the holiday's name suggests. The holiday was intended to symbolize the working class's historical unification with the state.
Ascension Day
This celebration, which is observed in Germany 40 days following Easter, honours the ascension of Jesus to heaven as described in the Bible. The date is always a Thursday. This holiday has been observed for centuries and has been a recognized public holiday in Germany since 1936. This day begins with church services, which is how most Catholics celebrate it. The Easter flame is extinguished, and torch- and banner-adorned street marches are typical.
The Day of German Unity
The festivities of this holiday officially began in Germany following the signing of the Treaty of Unification in 1990. The holiday falls on a Tuesday in 2023 and is celebrated on October 30.
Christmas day
Advent, the fourth Sunday before December 25, is historically the start of the Christmas season in Germany. In the days leading up to Christmas, one of the 24 little doors on these advent calendars is opened to reveal chocolate or a mini-present. In Germany, advent calendars are very common in families with young children.
Regional holidays in Germany
Peace Festival
In Germany, August 8 is designated as the Peace Festival holiday yearly. It honors the protestant community's exclusion from religious freedom in Augsburg, in the German state of Bavaria, in 1629. As a result, only Bavaria and not the rest of Germany observe it as a public holiday.
Assumption Day
One of the holiest days for Christians in Germany is the Assumption Day. It is a holiday that honours Mary's (Jesus' mother) passing from this world and the ascension of her body to heaven. It is only celebrated in Saarland and certain local governments in Bavaria, Germany.
Reformation Day
On October 31, Protestant Christians in Germany observe Reformation Day as a religious holiday in remembrance of Martin Luther's Reformation movement in the sixteenth century. On this day in 1517, according to history, Luther tacked his renowned 95 Theses, in which he voiced his concerns about the corruption in the Catholic church. It is celebrated in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, and parts of Thuringia.
Epiphany
To commemorate the voyage of the magi, or wise men, who, in accordance with the biblical account, followed a bright star to visit the baby Jesus, Epiphany is observed on January 6 in Germany. Churches and people assemble a nativity scene during Epiphany and include three figures to symbolize the magi. There are also particular church services that individuals and families can attend.
Corpus Christi
Since the second half of the thirteenth century, people have celebrated Corpus Christi, falling 60 days after Easter Sunday. Several Germans attend the church service on this day, where the sacrament's blessing, consisting of bread or wafers, is administered. In addition to several municipal governments in Saxony and Thuringia, this holiday is observed in Hesse, Saarland, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Baden-Württemberg.
School holidays in Germany
In 2023, many schools all over Germany will enjoy the national and regional holidays plus some school holidays. These holidays include:
- Christmas holidays from Wednesday 21/12/2022 to Saturday 07/01/2023
- Easter holidays from Tuesday 11/04/2023 to Saturday 15/04/2023
- Whitsun holidays from Tuesday 30/05/2023 to Friday 09/06/2022
- Summer holidays stretching from Thursday 27/07/2023 to Saturday 09/09/2023
- Autumn holidays from Monday 30/10/2023 to Friday 03/11/2023
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