Public German Holidays in 2024 List - National and Regional (2024)

Whether you’re a resident or planning a visit to Germany, knowing the country’s public holidays can help you schedule your activities and make the most of your time. In this article, we’ll provide you with a list of the public holidays observed across Germany in 2024.

These German holidays are a significant part of German culture and offer opportunities to celebrate, relax, and explore the rich traditions of this vibrant country.

So, let’s dive into the calendar and discover the holidays that will shape the year 2024 in Germany!

Official Public German Holidays 2024:

• New Year’s Day, January 1, Monday.
• Three Kings Day or the Feast of Epiphany, January 6, Saturday.
• International Women’s Day, March 8, Friday.
• Good Friday, March 29, Friday.
• Easter Sunday, March 31, Sunday.
• Easter Monday, April 1, Monday.
• Labour Day, May 1, Wednesday.
• Ascension Day, May 9, Thursday.
• Whit Monday, May 20, Monday.
• Corpus Christi, May 30, Thursday.
• Assumption Day, August 15, Thursday.
• World’s Children’s Day, September 20, Friday.
• German Unity Day, October 3, Thursday.
• Reformation Day, October 31, Thursday.
• All Saints’ Day, November 1, Friday.
• Repentance Day, November 20, Wednesday.
• Christmas Day, December 25, Wednesday.
• St Stephens Day, December 26, Thursday.

(N) = National Public Holiday

(R) = Regional Public Holiday

January 1: New Year’s Day

(Neujahrstag) (N)

The first day of the modern Gregorian and Julian calendar is a public holiday in Germany. The first day of the year, commonly known as New Year’s Day, specifically January 1st, is recognized as a nationwide holiday in Germany. Schools and businesses are closed on this day. While some Germans prefer to spend the day in a relaxed way, others enjoy gathering with their family and friends for a casual lunch or dinner.

January 6: Three Kings Day or the Feast of Epiphany

(Heilige Drei Könige) (R)

Epiphany, also known as the ‘Three Kings Day,’ is a major Christian celebration alongside Easter and Christmas. It marks the official end of Christmas, and according to Christian tradition, it is the day when the three wise men arrived in Bethlehem with gifts for baby Jesus a few days after his birth.

In Germany, it is a public holiday in the states of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, and Saxony-Anhalt, where many businesses, banks, and stores are closed.

March 8: International Women’s Day

(Weltfrauentag) (R)

International Women’s Day, also known as Weltfrauentag in German, is celebrated on March 8th every year. It is a day dedicated to honoring women’s achievements and promoting gender equality.

In Germany, people organize events, demonstrations, and discussions to raise awareness about women’s rights and the issues they face. It’s a time to come together and support women’s empowerment.

Berlin was the first state to celebrate it in 2019, and Mecklenburg-West Pomerania followed by celebrating for the first time in 2023.

March 29: Good Friday

(Karfreitag) (N)

Good Friday is a public holiday in every German state, which marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated just two days before Easter Sunday. Aside from the special religious traditions of this day, people also engage in non-religious traditions.

March 31: Easter Sunday

(Ostersonntag) (R)

Easter Sunday, known as Ostersonntag in German, is a significant holiday celebrated throughout Germany. However, it is considered a public holiday in Brandenburg. In 2023, Easter Sunday falls on April 9th. It is a joyous occasion for Christians, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Many Germans attend Easter church services, participate in Easter egg hunts, and enjoy festive meals with their families. It is also common to exchange Easter greetings and gifts during this time. Easter Sunday is a public holiday, and various cultural traditions and customs associated with Easter are observed across different regions of Germany.

April 1: Easter Monday

(Ostermontag) (N)

Easter Monday is an annual public holiday. It follows Good Friday and Easter Monday, thus marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It falls on different dates every year, and many businesses and services are closed on this day. In Germany, it is celebrated with various local customs as the candle-lit parade and egg races.

May 1: Labour Day

Tag der Arbeit (N)

Labor Day, which is also known as International Worker’s Day, is an official holiday in Germany since 1933. However, the holiday was celebrated by German workers for many decades before that. This is a day that celebrates workers and their contribution to society.

May 9: Ascension Day

(Christi Himmelfahrt) (N)

Ascension Day is a religious holiday celebrated 40 days after Easter. In Germany, it is also marked as Father’s Day or Men’s Day, since back in the XVIII century, fathers received gifts after the parades of Ascension Day.

May 20: Whit Monday

(Pfingstmontag) (N)

Whit Monday, also known as Pentecost Monday, is celebrated fifty days after Easter and is the final holiday of this season. The day is celebrated through special spring festivals and church services.

May 30: Corpus Christi

(Fronleichnam) (R)

The Feast of Corpus Christi takes place 60 days after Easter Sunday and dates back to the second half of the thirteenth century. On this day, many Germans attend the church service, where special attention is paid to the sacrament’s blessing, which consists of only bread or wafers.

It is celebrated in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and some local authorities in Saxony and Thuringia.

August 15: Assumption Day

(Maria Himmelfahrt) (R)

Assumption Day is an important day in the Christian religion. It is a feast that commemorates the departure of Mary from this life and also the assumption of her body into heaven. In Germany, it is celebrated by Saarland and some local authorities in Bavaria.

October 3: German Unity Day

(Maria Himmelfahrt) (R)

Assumption Day is an important day of the Christian religion. It is a feast that commemorates the departure of Mary from this life and also the assumption of her body into heaven. In Germany, it is celebrated by Saarland and some local authorities in Bavaria.

October 31: Reformation Day

(Reformationstag) (R)

This holiday is celebrated in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and parts of Thuringia.

Reformation Day is a Protestant Christian religious holiday in Germany, celebrated on October 31, in commemoration of Martin Luther’s Reformation movement of the XVI century. According to history, on this day in 1517, Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses at a church door, in which he expressed his concerns over corruption in the Catholic church.

November 1: All Saints’ Day

(Allerheiligen) (R)

All Saints Day is a Christian holiday in Germany devoted to remembering and praying for the departed believers. Aside from church services, people also lit candles and decorate the graves of their beloved ones with flowers and wreaths.

Families also gather together for meals. It is celebrated in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland.

November 20: Repentance Day

(Buß- und Bettag) (R)

Day of Prayer and Repentance is celebrated on the last Wednesday before November. From 1990 to 1994, it was a public holiday for the whole of Germany, which the German people exchanged for health insurance improvements.

However, now it is a public holiday only in the state of Saxony in Germany. The idea of the event is that Protestant Christians pray or reflect in order to find the way to God again. It is celebrated in Saxony.

December 25: Christmas Day

(Weihnachtstag) (N)

Christmas Day is a public holiday in Germany and is celebrated on December 25. The German traditions of this day are similar to those around the globe. The colorful German Christmas market is among these traditions together with Santa, the decorated tree, and special dishes.

December 26: St. Stephens’s Day or Boxing Day

(Stephanstag) (N)

Boxing Day in Germany is celebrated on December 26, just a day after Christmas. It is also called St Stephan’s Day, who was the first Christian martyr convicted of blasphemy against Moses and God.

Last updated: January 15th, 2024