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 2019
| Date | Holiday | About |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Jan 1 | New Year's DayNeujahr | First day of the year, following Silvester fireworks. |
| Fri, Apr 19 | Good FridayKarfreitag | A "silent day" — dancing and loud public events are restricted in most states. |
| Mon, Apr 22 | Easter MondayOstermontag | The Monday after Easter Sunday. |
| Wed, May 1 | Labour DayTag der Arbeit | International Workers' Day, with union rallies and May festivals. |
| Thu, May 30 | Ascension DayChristi Himmelfahrt | Always a Thursday, 39 days after Easter; also celebrated as Father's Day (Vatertag). |
| Mon, Jun 10 | Whit MondayPfingstmontag | The Monday after Pentecost, 50 days after Easter. |
| Thu, Oct 3 | German Unity DayTag der Deutschen Einheit | Marks reunification on 3 October 1990; the only holiday set by federal law. |
| Wed, Dec 25 | Christmas Day1. Weihnachtstag | Gifts are traditionally exchanged the evening before, on Heiligabend. |
| Thu, 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 2019
- New Year's Day bridge day: take Mon, Dec 31 offDec 29 – Jan 1 · 4 days
- Good Friday & Easter Monday Apr 19 – Apr 22 · 4 days
- Ascension Day bridge day: take Fri, May 31 offMay 30 – Jun 2 · 4 days
- Whit Monday Jun 8 – Jun 10 · 3 days
- German Unity Day bridge day: take Fri, Oct 4 offOct 3 – Oct 6 · 4 days
- Christmas Day & Second Day of Christmas bridge day: take Fri, Dec 27 offDec 25 – Dec 29 · 5 days
With 4 vacation days on the bridge days above you get 17 days off in total.
Plan 2019 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 2019 calendar.
Open Calendar Builder