German Public Holidays [2024 & 2024 Table] - Navigate Germany

If you want to celebrate German holidays, we’ve got you covered. 

Note the dates of Germany’s public holidays and significant dates if you’re residing or visiting Germany as everything is closed or operates at reduced hours on these dates.

Kinds of German Holidays

Here are three categories: 

Regional Holidays

Federal government has the authority to proclaim national holidays; individual states can determine public holidays. Certain federal states celebrate days that are not recognized elsewhere. Bavaria, with 13 public holidays per year, is the state with the most public holidays.

Public Holidays

New Year’s Day, German Unity Day, and Christmas Day are only a few of the nine public holidays throughout Germany’s sixteen federal states.

Other Holidays

Unofficial holidays include Saint Nicholas Day (Nikolaus), Carnival Monday (Rosenmontag), and Christmas Eve. 

State to State Public Holidays

Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Saarland have the most public holidays per year. These holidays are not observed at a national level; and each federal-state determines public holidays to celebrate.

Since there are only ten German public holidays, this regulation leaves your holiday account in Hamburg and Bremen somewhat empty.

Holidays in federal state of Germany depends on your location:

• Bavaria (12)
• Berlin (11)
• Brandenburg (10)
• Bremen (10)
• Baden-Wuerttemberg (12)
• Hesse (10)
• Hamburg (10)
• Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (10)
• North Rhine-Westphalia (11)
• Niedersachsen (11)
• Rhineland-Palatinate (11)
• Saarland (12)
• Schleswig-Holstein (10)
• Saxony (11)
• Saxony-Anhalt: (11)
• Thuringia (11)

School Holidays

Easter, summer, and Christmas with the breaks in the autumn and spring, are the vacation times in German schools. Federal states in Germany have different school holidays.

Holidays in Year 2023 & 2024

Most Important Holiday in Germany

Each holiday has its own importance for different groups of people in Germany. Religious festivals are highly important for Catholics, but Easter and Reformation Day are significant for Protestants. Significance of Unity Day is remembered by everyone in Germany.

Conclusion

Each state has almost 10 to 12 holidays to celebrate. Whenever visiting Germany, check the German public holidays as businesses and agencies are closed. Every federal state has a different set of holidays to celebrate and decides which holiday to celebrate.