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# German Public Holidays in 2024

**By:** Eli McGarvie

**Published:** February 20, 2023

Germany is a country that takes pride in its rich history and cultural heritage. German holidays are a great way to experience this culture, as they celebrate important historical events, religious occasions, and traditions that are still significant today. If you are [living in Germany](/magazine/299-guide-for-expats-living-in-germany), you will enjoy 9 public holidays in a year.

**RELATED:** [**Public Holidays in Berlin**](/magazine/176-berlin-public-holidays-in-2024)

## List of holidays in Germany 2024

| Date | Holiday | Local name | Day |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Neujahr | Monday |
| January 6 | Three Kings Day | Heilige Drei Könige | Saturday |
| March 8 | Women's Day | Frauentag | Thursday |
| March 29 | Good Friday | Karfreitag | Friday |
| March 31 | Easter Sunday | Ostersonntag | Sunday |
| April 1 | Easter Monday | Ostermontag | Monday |
| May 1 | Labour Day | Tag der Arbeit | Tuesday |
| May 9 | Ascension Day | Christi Himmelfahrt | Thursday |
| May 19 | Whitsunday | Pfingstsonntag | Sunday |
| May 20 | Whitmonday | Pfingstmontag | Monday |
| May 30 | Corpus Christi | Fronleichnam | Thursday |
| August 15 | Assumption Day | Mariä Himmelfahrt | Thursday |
| September 20 | World Children's Day | Weltkindertag | Friday |
| October 3 | German Unification Day | Tag der Deutschen Einheit | Thursday |
| October 31 | Reformation Day | Reformationstag | Thursday |
| November 1 | All Saints’ Day | Allerheiligen | Friday |
| November 20 | Day of Repentance & Prayer | Buß- und Bettag | Wednesday |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | Erster Weihnachtstag | Wednesday |
| December 26 | Boxing Day | Zweiter Weihnachtstag | Thursday |

‍

## List of holidays in Germany 2025

| Date | Holiday | Local name | Day |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Neujahr | Wednesday |
| January 6 | Three Kings Day | Heilige Drei Könige | Monday |
| March 8 | Women's Day | Frauentag | Saturday |
| March 29 | Good Friday | Karfreitag | Friday |
| March 31 | Easter Sunday | Ostersonntag | Sunday |
| April 1 | Easter Monday | Ostermontag | Monday |
| May 1 | Labour Day | Tag der Arbeit | Thursday |
| May 9 | Ascension Day | Christi Himmelfahrt | Thursday |
| May 19 | Whitsunday | Pfingstsonntag | Sunday |
| May 20 | Whitmonday | Pfingstmontag | Monday |
| May 30 | Corpus Christi | Fronleichnam | Thursday |
| August 15 | Assumption Day | Mariä Himmelfahrt | Thursday |
| September 20 | World Children's Day | Weltkindertag | Friday |
| October 3 | German Unification Day | Tag der Deutschen Einheit | Thursday |
| October 31 | Reformation Day | Reformationstag | Thursday |
| November 1 | All Saints’ Day | Allerheiligen | Friday |
| November 20 | Day of Repentance & Prayer | Buß- und Bettag | Wednesday |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | Erster Weihnachtstag | Wednesday |
| December 26 | Boxing Day | Zweiter Weihnachtstag | Thursday |

‍

## Informal holidays

**Karneval** • Feb 08 – Feb 13, 2024  
**Maifest** (_Mayfest_) • May 1st, 2024  
**Vatertag** (_same as Ascension Day_) • May 9, 2024  
**Muttertag** (_Mother’s Day_) • May 12, 2024  
**Oktoberfest** • Sep 21 – Oct 6, 2024  
**Martinstag** _(St. Martin's Day_) • Nov 11, 2024

## Types of German holidays

There are a few different types of holidays in Germany that are worth mentioning:

### German public holidays

In Germany, there are **nine public holidays** that are celebrated nationwide. These include New Year's Day, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. In addition, there **are regional holidays** , which are only celebrated in certain regions or states.

### German religious holidays

Germany is predominantly a Christian country, so many of its holidays are based on religious observances. Some of the most significant religious holidays in Germany include **Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas**. During these holidays, many Germans attend church services and spend time with their families.

### Easter in Germany

Easter (_Ostern_) is one of the most popular holidays celebrated in Germany, second only to the Christmas season. **Easter in Germany is from April 18th - April 20th 2025.** Good Friday (_Karfreitag_) and Easter Monday (_Ostermontag_) are public holidays — so you can expect to get paid leave on those two days as you enjoy a long weekend.

### Cultural holidays

Germany has a rich cultural history, and its holidays reflect this. For example, Oktoberfest (Sep 21 – Oct 6) is a world-famous festival that celebrates German culture, music, and food. Other cultural holidays include Karneval (Feb 08 – Feb 13), which is celebrated in some regions of Germany, and St. Martin's Day (Nov 11), which is celebrated with parades and lantern processions.

### Significance of Holidays

Each holiday in Germany has a unique significance that is rooted in the country's history, religion, or culture. For example, Oktoberfest originated in Munich in 1810 as a celebration of a royal wedding. Today, it is an internationally recognised festival that attracts millions of visitors every year.

## How public holidays work in Germany

In Germany, **public holidays mean most businesses are closed, just like Sundays**. Employees get the day off and are still paid. The holidays celebrated depend on the state where you work, not where you live. Each German state has different public holidays; for example, Women's Day is a public holiday in Berlin, but not Epiphany or Corpus Christi. Bavaria has 13 public holidays, while [Berlin](/magazine/176-berlin-public-holidays-in-2024) only has 10. On Sundays in Berlin, some businesses are open.

‍

## Public holidays by country

| Country | Public holidays |
| --- | --- |
| [🇩🇪 Germany](/magazine/173-german-public-holidays-in-2024) | 9 |
| [🇦🇹 Austria](/magazine/174-austrian-public-holidays-in-2024) | 13 |
| [🇳🇱 Netherlands](/magazine/179-netherlands-public-holidays-in-2024) | 7 |
| [🇬🇧 UK](/magazine/224-uk-public-holidays-2024) | 12 |
| [🇨🇭 Switzerland](/magazine/175-swiss-public-holidays-in-2024) | 9 |
| [🇮🇪 Ireland](/magazine/430-ireland-public-holidays-2024) | 11 |
| [🏴 Scotland](/magazine/431-scotland-public-holidays-2024) | 9 |
| [🇫🇮 Finland](/magazine/432-finland-public-holidays-2024) | 10 |
| [🇫🇷 France](/magazine/433-france-public-holidays-2024) | 11 |
| [🇪🇸 Spain](/magazine/434-spain-public-holidays-2024) | 11 |
| [🇵🇹 Portugal](/magazine/435-portugal-public-holidays-2024) | 13 |
| [🇸🇪 Sweden](/magazine/436-sweden-public-holidays-2024) | 11 |
| [🇳🇴 Norway](/magazine/437-norway-public-holidays-2024) | 12 |
| [🇮🇹 Italy](/magazine/438-italy-public-holidays-2024) | 11 |



## Related Articles

- [Austrian Public Holidays in 2024](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/174-austrian-public-holidays-in-2024)
- [Netherlands Public Holidays in 2024](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/179-netherlands-public-holidays-in-2024)
- [UK Public Holidays 2024](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/224-uk-public-holidays-2024)
- [Swiss Public Holidays in 2024](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/175-swiss-public-holidays-in-2024)

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