How Public Holidays Work in Germany
Germany has 9 nationwide public holidays. There are no substitute days: a holiday that falls on a weekend is simply lost.
States add up to 5 more, e.g. Epiphany (BW, BY, ST), Corpus Christi (mostly Catholic states), Reformation Day (northern and eastern states), and All Saints' Day (BW, BY, NW, RP, SL). Bavaria has the most.
All Germany Holidays in 2014
| Date | Holiday | About |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, Jan 1 | New Year's DayNeujahr | First day of the year, following Silvester fireworks. |
| Fri, Apr 18 | Good FridayKarfreitag | A "silent day" — dancing and loud public events are restricted in most states. |
| Mon, Apr 21 | Easter MondayOstermontag | The Monday after Easter Sunday. |
| Thu, May 1 | Labour DayTag der Arbeit | International Workers' Day, with union rallies and May festivals. |
| Thu, May 29 | Ascension DayChristi Himmelfahrt | Always a Thursday, 39 days after Easter; also celebrated as Father's Day (Vatertag). |
| Mon, Jun 9 | Whit MondayPfingstmontag | The Monday after Pentecost, 50 days after Easter. |
| Fri, Oct 3 | German Unity DayTag der Deutschen Einheit | Marks reunification on 3 October 1990; the only holiday set by federal law. |
| Thu, Dec 25 | Christmas Day1. Weihnachtstag | Gifts are traditionally exchanged the evening before, on Heiligabend. |
| Fri, Dec 26 | Second Day of Christmas2. Weihnachtstag | St Stephen's Day, usually spent visiting family. |
Click a date to see it on the monthly calendar.
Long Weekends in 2014
- Good Friday & Easter Monday Apr 18 – Apr 21 · 4 days
- Labour Day bridge day: take Fri, May 2 offMay 1 – May 4 · 4 days
- Ascension Day bridge day: take Fri, May 30 offMay 29 – Jun 1 · 4 days
- Whit Monday Jun 7 – Jun 9 · 3 days
- German Unity Day Oct 3 – Oct 5 · 3 days
- Christmas Day & Second Day of Christmas Dec 25 – Dec 28 · 4 days
With 2 vacation days on the bridge days above you get 8 days off in total.
Plan 2014 Around These Holidays
Add your vacation and bridge days to a calendar, then export it as a printable PDF. For the full year at a glance see the 2014 calendar.
Open Calendar Builder