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Whether you are a resident or planning a visit to Germany, knowing the country's holidays can help you plan your activities and make the most of your time. In this article, we will provide you with a list of the holidays observed in Germany in 2023.
These holidays are a significant part ofgerman cultureand provide opportunities to celebrate, relax and explore the rich traditions of this vibrant country.
So let's dive into the calendar and discover the holidays that will mark the year 2023 in Germany!
Official German holidays in 2023:
- New Year's Day, January 1st, Sunday.
- Three Kings Day or Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th, Friday.
- International Women's Day, March 8, Wednesday.
- Good Friday, April 7th, Friday.
- Easter Sunday, April 9, Sunday.
- Easter Monday, April 10, Monday.
- Labor Day, May 1st, Monday.
- Ascension Day, May 18, Thursday.
- Pentecost Monday, May 29, Monday.
- Corpus Christi, June 8, Thursday.
- Assumption Day, August 15, Tuesday.
- World Children's Day, September 20, Wednesday.
- German Unity Day, October 3rd, Tuesday.
- Reformation Day, October 31st, Tuesday.
- All Saints Day, November 1st, Wednesday.
- Day of Repentance, November 22, Wednesday.
- Christmas Day, December 25th, Monday.
- St. Stephen's Day, December 26, Tuesday.
(N) = National Holiday
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(R) = Regional Holiday
January 1st: New Year's Day
(New Year's Day) (N)
The first day of the modern Gregorian and Julian calendar is a public holiday in Germany. The first day of the year, commonly known as New Year's Day, specifically January 1st, is recognized as a national holiday in Germany. Schools and businesses are closed on this day. While some Germans prefer to spend the day in a relaxed manner, others like to get together with family and friends for a casual lunch or dinner.
January 6: Three Kings Day or Feast of the Epiphany
(Three Wise Men) (R)
Epiphany, also known as the 'Day of the Three Kings', is a major Christian celebration alongside Easter and Christmas. It marks the official end of Christmas and, according to Christian tradition, it is the day the three wise men arrived in Bethlehem with gifts for the baby Jesus a few days after his birth.
In Germany, it is a holiday in the states of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt, where many businesses, banks and shops are closed.
March 8: International Women's Day
(International Women's Day) (R)
International Women's Day, also known as Weltfrauentag in German, is celebrated on the 8th of March every year. It is a day dedicated to honoring the achievements of women and promoting gender equality.
In Germany, people organize events, demonstrations and discussions to raise awareness of women's rights and the problems they face. It's time to come together and support women's empowerment.
Berlin was the first state to celebrate it in 2019, and Mecklenburg-West Pomerania followed by celebrating it for the first time in 2023.
April 7: Good Friday
(Good Friday) (N)
Good Friday is a public holiday in all German states, marking the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated just two days before Easter Sunday. In addition to the special religious traditions of this day, people also engage in non-religious traditions.
April 9: Easter Sunday
(Easter Sunday) (R)
Easter Sunday, known as Ostersonntag in German, is a significant holiday celebrated throughout Germany. However, it is considered a public holiday in Brandenburg. In 2023, Easter Sunday falls on April 9th. It is a joyous occasion for Christians, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Many Germans attend Easter church services, participate in Easter egg hunts and enjoy festive meals with their families. It is also common to exchange Easter greetings and gifts during this period. Easter Sunday is a public holiday, and various cultural traditions and customs associated with Easter are observed in different regions of Germany.
April 10: Easter Monday
(Easter Monday) (N)
Easter Monday is an annual public holiday. This is followed by Good Friday and Easter Monday, thus marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It falls on different dates each year, and many businesses and services close on this day. In Germany, it is celebrated with various local customs such as the candlelight parade and egg races.
May 1st: Labor Day
Labor Day (N)
Labor Day, also known as International Workers' Day, has been an official holiday in Germany since 1933. However, the holiday was celebrated by German workers for many decades before that. This is a day that celebrates workers and their contribution to society.
May 18: Ascension Day
(Ascension Day) (N)
Ascension Day is a religious holiday celebrated 40 days after Easter. In Germany, it is also celebrated as Father's Day or Men's Day, since in the 18th century fathers received gifts after the Ascension Day parades.
May 29: Pentecost Monday
(Pentecost Monday) (N)
Pentecost Monday, also known as Pentecost Monday, is celebrated fifty days after Easter and is the last holiday of this season. The day is celebrated through special spring festivals and religious services.
June 8: Corpus Christi
(Corpus Christi) (R)
The Feast of Corpus Christi takes place 60 days after Easter Sunday and dates back to the second half of the 13th century. On this day, many Germans attend a church service, where special attention is paid to blessing the sacrament, which consists only of bread or crackers.
It is celebrated in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and some local authorities in Saxony and Thuringia.
August 15: Assumption Day
(Assumption of Mary) (R)
Assumption Day is an important day in the Christian religion. It is a feast that commemorates Mary's departure from this life and also the assumption of her body into heaven. In Germany, it is celebrated by the Saarland and some local authorities in Bavaria.
October 3: Day of German Unity
(Assumption of Mary) (R)
Assumption Day is an important day in the Christian religion. It is a feast that commemorates Mary's departure from this life and also the assumption of her body into heaven. In Germany, it is celebrated by the Saarland and some local authorities in Bavaria.
October 31: Reformation Day
(Reformation Day) (R)
This holiday is celebrated in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and parts of Thuringia.
Reformation Day is a Protestant Christian religious holiday in Germany, celebrated on October 31, commemorating Martin Luther's 16th-century Reformation movement. According to history, on this day in 1517, Luther nailed his famous 95 theses to a church door, in which he expressed his concern about corruption in the Catholic church.
November 1st: All Saints' Day
(All Saints Day) (R)
All Saints' Day is a Christian holiday in Germany dedicated to remembering and praying for departed believers. In addition to religious services, people also light candles and decorate the graves of their loved ones with flowers and wreaths.
Families also gather for meals. It is celebrated in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.
November 22: Day of Repentance
(Day of Repentance and Prayer) (R)
The Day of Prayer and Repentance is celebrated on the last Wednesday before November. From 1990 to 1994, it was a holiday for all of Germany, which the German people traded for better health insurance.
However, it is now a public holiday only in the state of Saxony in Germany. The idea of the event is for Protestant Christians to pray or reflect in order to find their way back to God. It is celebrated in Saxony.
December 25: Christmas Day
(Natal) (N)
Christmas Day is a public holiday in Germany and is celebrated on December 25th. The German traditions of this day are similar to those around the world. The colorful German Christmas market is among these traditions along with Santa Claus, the decorated tree and special dishes.
December 26: St. Stephen's Day or Boxing Day
(Stephanstag) (N)
Boxing Day in Germany is celebrated on December 26th, just one day after Christmas. It is also called the Day of Saint Stephen, who was the first Christian martyr convicted of blasphemy against Moses and God.
Last updated: July 13, 2023
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FAQs
List of German public holidays in 2023 - national and regional? ›
In Germany, there are a total of 10 national holidays in 2023.In addition, there are 7 regional holidays that are only celebrated in certain regions.
How many public holidays are there in Germany in 2023? ›In Germany, there are a total of 10 national holidays in 2023.In addition, there are 7 regional holidays that are only celebrated in certain regions.
How many national public holidays are there in Germany? ›German public holidays
There are nine public holidays that are observed in all 16 federal states in Germany, including New Year's Day, German Unity Day and Christmas Day.
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Sun | New Year's Day |
| 6 Jan | Fri | Epiphany |
| 8 Mar | Wed | International Women's Day |
| 7 Apr | Fri | Good Friday |
The Day of German Unity is the only national holiday set by federal law. The Day of German Unity is celebrated each year on 3 October, the day on which the German Democratic Republic acceded in 1990 to the territory covered by the Basic Law.
Which country has the most public holidays 2023? ›- India, 21. ...
- Cambodia, 21. ...
- Liechtenstein, 20 to 22. ...
- Egypt, 22. ...
- Bangladesh, 22. ...
- Iran, 26. ...
- Myanmar, 32. Myanmar will have you going “my oh my.”
- Nepal, 36. And Nepal takes the crown with 36 public holidays.
Did you know that Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Saarland have the most public holidays, namely 12 per year? There aren't nationwide public holidays in Germany. Instead, each federal-state decides independently which German public holidays are considered public holidays in that state.
What is the biggest national holiday in Germany? ›Christmas Day (Weihnachtstag) is undoubtedly the biggest and most important national holiday of the year. In Germany, Christmas Day is marked by both religious and non-secular households.
How many days holidays are you entitled to in Germany? ›According to the Federal Holidays Act, all employees in Germany with a 5-day week are entitled to a minimum of 20 vacation days per year. Most collective agreements, however, include entitlements to larger numbers of days.
Which country has the most public holidays in Europe? ›Austria. Austria has the highest number of bank holidays of any European country with 12 paid public holidays throughout the year. Austria also offers 25 days statutory holiday per year.
What are quiet holidays in Germany? ›
Good Friday is an official public holiday in Germany; however it is also one of the “silent public holidays.” Other days on which a silent public holiday is observed include All Saints' Day, All Souls' Day, and Christmas Eve, although there is no uniform list that applies to all sixteen German states.
How long is summer break in Germany? ›Types of school holidays in Germany
Winter holiday (Winterferien) - between a few days and two weeks. Easter holiday (Osterferien) - two to three weeks. Whitsun holiday (Pfingstferien) - between a few days and two weeks. Summer holiday (Sommerferien) - six to seven weeks.
There are in total 260 working days in a common year. And 2023 won't be an exception, it will also have 260 working days.
Which country has the most national holidays? ›Nepal has the highest number of public holidays in the world with 35 annually.
What German holiday is in February? ›February 14 | Valentine's Day (Valentinstag) – In Germany Valentine's Day is not as important as it is in the USA, but it has been gaining some steam over the years. February | Mardi Gras (Fasching/Karneval) – In Catholic regions in February or March, depending on the date of Easter.
Is Halloween a public holiday in Germany? ›Although Halloween is not a public holiday, businesses and schools may be closed because it falls on the same date as Reformation Day in 2023, which is a public holiday in 9 states .
How many major holidays are there in 2023? ›These eleven federal holidays of 2023 are days when the majority of Americans would expect not to have to go to work. That being said, if you're a private business, you're not legally required to give your staff the day off.
How many working days in 2023 including holidays? ›How many working days are in 2023? There are 249 working days in 2023 for a standard five-day work week. We arrive at this number by taking 365 total days, removing 105 weekend days, then removing 11 federal holidays.
How many public holidays are there in 2023 in USA? ›There are 11 significant days that Americans recognize and celebrate as US federal holidays. The first federal holiday that Americans will soon enjoy is the start of the new year's festivities. The new year (2023) will be ushered in at midnight on December 31 by people all over the world.
How many days off per year in Germany? ›In Germany, all employees get paid vacation days. If you work 5 days per week, you get at least 20 vacation days per year. Most full-time employees get 25 to 30 vacation days. Employees under 18 years old get more vacation days.