German Holidays

Like every other country in the world, Germany has nation-wide holidays. What a surprise! And in order for you to travel around and live in Germany without any unwanted disturbances, we are going to help you keep an eye out for these holidays. But since the university of Tuebingen is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, we are not going to list the holidays of all German states and are only going to mention the holidays that affect the state of Baden-Württemberg.

The holidays in Baden-Württemberg include:

Neujahr: (New Year)

New Year is celebrated on the first of January every year. Unlike most of the other German holidays, this holiday does not have a religious but a secular background. During the Roman Empire in the Year 153 BE the Roman consuls were inaugurated for the first time on the first of January and already started celebrating this inauguration the day before. Weird German things to do are lead-pouring, watching fireworks, getting wasted, playing board games and then sleeping in. Also very important is coming up with new year’s resolutions you won’t stay true to anyways.

© Wikipedia Commons

Heilige Drei Könige: (Epiphany)

Epiphany is an official holiday in Baden-Württemberg that takes place on the sixth of January every year. It is based on the biblical narrative of the Three Wise Men who brought precious presents after the birth of Jesus. This may not be an official holiday in most of the German states but it is still celebrated in all of Germany. Especially the German tradition of carol singers is known all over the country. A small group of children who call on every door are given sweets and money for charity projects, and write the blessing  „20*C+M+B+17“ (for the year 2017) above one’s main door after singing so called Sternlieder (star songs).

© Presse Augsburg

Karfreitag: (Good Friday)

Many people in Germany mark the crucifixion of Jesus by participating in church services on Good Friday which is two days before Easter Sunday. For others, it is the start of a long weekend and possibly a spring holiday.

Ostersonntag: (Easter Sunday)
Easter Sunday is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring. This calculation is somewhat vague and the exact date changes every year. Check out the so called computus for more information. Although it is not actually considered a holiday in Baden-Württemberg and rather treated like a regular Sunday, it is still considered a festive occasion with an emphasis on the dawn of a new life, because it marks the Resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. Nowadays the Church services may not only be longer than on other sundays but this holiday would not be complete without traditions like the Easter Egg Hunts where family members hide chocolate and colored eggs at home, in parks or in the garden, and lots of colorful decorations with bunnies, chickens, flowers and eggs.

© Netmoms.de

Ostermontag: (Easter Monday)

According to St. Luke's Gospel two disciples were travelling to the town Emmaus on this day and met a stranger on the way there. In the evening they found out that this stranger is Jesus Christ himself. The day after Easter Sunday is now considered a holiday in Baden-Württemberg to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Tag der Arbeit: (Labour Day)

The reason why the Labour Day falls on the first of May goes back to the year 1886.Back then, thousands of US citizens declared a strike to enforce the eight-hour working day. After two days the situation escalated and police killed many strike pickets. After a bomb exploded the next day the police panicked and fired indiscriminately, causing many lives to be lost. In remembrance of this event, hundred thousands of people gathered in Germany and all over Europe for the first Labour Day in 1890.

Christi Himmelfahrt: (Ascension Day)

Ascension Day is the 40th day of Easter or 39 days after Easter Sunday. According to the bible, Jesus talks with his disciples for 40 days after his Resurrection and then ascends into heaven. Some Germans commit to a form of fasting during Easter Sunday and Ascension Day by refraining from bad habits like eating sweets or drinking alcohol. Fun fact: in monasteries it was forbidden to consume meat during that period of time and this is how Maultaschen came to be! Monks sneakily hid the meat inside the Swabian noodle dumplings.

© wegwahrheitleben.wordpress.com

Pfingstmontag: (Whit Monday)
51 days after Easter, Whit Monday is a reminder of the Pentecost which commemorates the Holy Ghost's descent on Jesus Christ's disciples, according to the Bible. In many regions of Germany, there are special Pentecost customs, for example das Pfingstbaumpflanzen (the planting of the Pentecost tree), der Pfingstkranz (the Pentecost wreath), and der Pfingstochse (the Pentecost ox).

Fronleichnam: (Corpus Christi)

Corpus Christi falls on a Thursday 60 days after Easter Sunday, it reminds Christians of the Eucharist. During church services this is re-celebrated and it is supposed to demonstrate that Christ and therefore God is present. The picture below shows the festive march of the pastor through the cemetary towards the church prior to service.

© wikipedia.de

Tag der Deutschen Einheit: (Day of German Unity)

The third of October is the national holiday according to the Confederal Law. It is celebrated on that day because on the 3rd October 1990 the GDR ceased to exist as a sovereign state and joined the Federal Republic of Germany. This date should not be confused with the day when the Berlin Wall fell, which was 9th November 1989.

© tagesspiegel.de

Allerheiligen: (All Hallows’ Day)

The first of November is another holiday with a religious background. Just like the name explains, it is a celebration of all the saints that exist in the catholic church. Since 365 days are not enough days to celebrate all saints, this day is celebrated as a feast day for all of them.

1. Weihnachtsfeiertag: (Christmas Day)
The 25th of December is celebrated by Christians all around the world to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Germans may celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December - unlike some other countries - but it is not considered a national holiday. (If you want to know more about German Christmas Traditions, you can find more information in our WTF is Weihnachten  post series.)

2. Weihnachtsfeiertag: (Boxing Day)

This holiday falls on the 26th of December, but rather than celebrating the birth of Christ, it is supposed to remind us that God came to Earth in human form.

© dieschmueker.de

During these holidays, shops and stores are closed! For bakeries and the like, there usually are special opening hours announced beforehand, make sure to check your establishment of interest. But most restaurants, cafés, pizza delivery services etc. are open for business. So, if you have forgotten to stock your kitchen before the holidays started - do not worry, you can still spend (all of) your money on some food in the city.

Lena of The Koins