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If you’re living in Germany, it’s important to note the country’s public holidays and important dates. Not only is it important for making special plans, but also because businesses and public institutions will close or have reduced hours on these days.
To ensure you don’t miss out on the fun, read on for when Germany’s official holidays fall in 2024 and 2025:
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An overview of German public holidays
There are nine official national public holidays in Germany each year, alongside regional festivities particular to certain German states. This means that some states in the country have more vacation than others. If the odds are in your favor, you can enjoy up to 13 days off a year, one of the highest public holiday entitlements in Europe. Do note, however, that if the holiday falls on a weekend, it typically doesn’t transfer to a weekday.
Many of the German bank holidays are religious and date back centuries. Some holidays, however, are more recent, such as the Day of German Unity. Taking place on 3 October every year, it commemorates the anniversary of German reunification in 1990.
Some national holidays also coincide with Germany’s top festivals, which are a great way to experience local culture and sample regional German food. This is especially vibrant particularly during the carnival period.
German public holidays during 2024
These holidays are celebrated nationally in Germany.
| Date | National holiday |
| 1 January (Monday) | New Year’s Day (Neujahrstag) |
| 29 March (Friday) | Good Friday (Karfreitag) |
| 1 April (Monday) | Easter Monday (Ostermontag) |
| 1 May (Wednesday) | Labor Day (Maifeiertag) |
| 9 May (Thursday) | Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt) |
| 20 May (Monday) | Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag) |
| 3 October (Thursday) | Day of German Unity (Tag der Deutschen Einheit) |
| 25 December (Wednesday) | Christmas Day (Weihnachtstag) |
| 26 December (Thursday) | Saint Stephen’s Day (Stephanstag) |
German regional holidays 2024
These holidays are only celebrated in certain German regions.
| Date | Regional holiday | Observing regions |
| 6 January (Saturday) | Epiphany (Heilige Drei Könige) | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Saxony-Anhalt |
| 8 March (Friday) | International Women’s Day (Internationaler Frauentag) | Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
| 30 May (Thursday) | Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam) | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and some local authorities in Saxony and Thuringia |
| 8 August (Thursday) | Peace Festival (Freidenfest) | Bavaria (Augsburg) |
| 15 August (Thursday) | Assumption Day (Maria Himmelfahrt) | Saarland and some local authorities in Bavaria |
| 20 September (Friday) | World Children’s Day (Weltkindertag) | Thuringia |
| 31 October (Thursday) | Reformation Day (Reformationstag) | Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and parts of Thuringia |
| 1 November (Friday) | All Saints’ Day (Allerheiligen) | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland |
| 20 November (Wednesday) | Day of Prayer and Repentance (Buß-und Bettag) | Saxony |
Important dates in Germany during 2024
Alongside national and regional holidays, you’ll want to make note of these other prominent dates in Germany.
| Date | Important occasion |
| 12–14 February (Monday – Wednesday) | Carnival (Karneval) |
| 1 April (Sunday) | Clocks go forward one hour as a result of daylight saving time starting |
| 12 May (Sunday) | Mother’s Day (Muttertag) |
| 9 May (Thursday) | Father’s Day (Vatertag) |
| 8 September (Sunday) | European Heritage Day – when monument buildings are opened to the public |
| 21 September (Saturday) | Oktoberfest starts |
| 27 October (Sunday) | Clocks go back one hour as a result of daylight saving time ending |
| 9 November (Saturday) | Fall of the Berlin Wall |
| 11 November (Monday) | St Martin’s Day (Martinstag) |
| 17 November (Sunday) | National Day of Mourning |
| 6 December (Friday) | Saint Nicholas Day (Sankt Nikolaustag) |
German public holidays during 2025
Here are the national public holidays in Germany:
| Date | National holiday |
| 1 January (Wednesday) | New Year’s Day (Neujahrstag) |
| 18 April (Friday) | Good Friday (Karfreitag) |
| 21 April (Monday) | Easter Monday (Ostermontag) |
| 1 May (Thursday) | Labor Day (Maifeiertag) |
| 29 May (Thursday) | Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt) |
| 9 June (Monday) | Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag) |
| 3 October (Friday) | Day of German Unity (Tag der Deutschen Einheit) |
| 25 December (Thursday) | Christmas Day (Weihnachtstag) |
| 26 December (Friday) | Saint Stephen’s Day (Stephanstag) |
German regional holidays 2025
These holidays are only celebrated in certain German regions.
| Date | Regional holiday | Observing regions |
| 6 January (Monday) | Epiphany (Heilige Drei Könige) | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Saxony-Anhalt |
| 8 March (Saturday) | International Women’s Day (Internationaler Frauentag) | Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
| 19 May (Thursday) | Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam) | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and some local authorities in Saxony and Thuringia |
| 8 August (Friday) | Peace Festival (Freidenfest) | Bavaria (Augsburg) |
| 15 August (Friday) | Assumption Day (Maria Himmelfahrt) | Saarland and some local authorities in Bavaria |
| 20 September (Saturday) | World Children’s Day (Weltkindertag) | Thuringia |
| 31 October (Friday) | Reformation Day (Reformationstag) | Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and parts of Thuringia |
| 1 November (Saturday) | All Saints’ Day (Allerheiligen) | Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland |
| 19 November (Wednesday) | Day of Prayer and Repentance (Buß-und Bettag) | Saxony |
Important dates in Germany during 2025
| Date | Important occasion |
| 3–5 March (Monday – Wednesday) | Carnival (Karneval – may differ between regions) |
| 30 March (Sunday) | Clocks go forward one hour as a result of daylight saving time starting |
| 11 May (Sunday) | Mother’s Day (Muttertag) |
| 29 May (Thursday) | Father’s Day (Vatertag) |
| 14 September (Sunday) | European Heritage Day – when monument buildings are opened to the public |
| 20 September (Saturday) | Oktoberfest starts |
| 26 October (Sunday) | Clocks go back one hour as a result of daylight saving time ending |
| 9 November (Sunday) | Fall of the Berlin Wall |
| 11 November (Tuesday) | St Martin’s Day (Martinstag) |
| 16 November (Sunday) | National Day of Mourning |
| 6 December (Saturday) | Saint Nicholas Day (Sankt Nikolaustag) |
German school holidays
Many public holidays coincide with school vacations in German schools. Wondering when your little ones will be free? Read more about school holidays in Germany.
