Public Holidays in Germany - An Overview
Also for 2024, it is worthwhile to gain an overview of the public holidays, as strategic planning of vacation days can maximize time off even with fewer days taken.
Of course, the allocation of public holidays varies depending on the federal state. Here is a detailed overview of the statutory holidays in Germany for the year 2024 and the federal states in which they apply:
1 January - New Year's Day Consistently, New Year's Day is recognized as a public holiday in all federal states.
6 January - Epiphany (Three Kings' Day) This holiday is observed exclusively in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Saxony-Anhalt.
8 March - International Women's Day International Women's Day is only acknowledged in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
5 April - Good Friday Good Friday is observed as a public holiday in all federal states.
1 April - Easter Monday Easter Monday is recognized as a public holiday in all federal states.
1 May - Labor Day Labor Day is celebrated as a public holiday in all federal states.
9 May - Ascension Day Ascension Day is acknowledged as a public holiday in all federal states.
20 May - Whit Monday Whit Monday is recognized as a public holiday in all federal states.
30 May - Corpus Christi Corpus Christi is observed as a public holiday in the following federal states: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hessen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland.
15 August - Assumption of Mary This holiday is exclusively observed in Saarland and parts of Bavaria.
3 October - German Unity Day German Unity Day is recognized as a public holiday in all federal states.
31 October - Reformation Day Reformation Day is observed as a public holiday in the following federal states: Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia.
1 November - All Saints' Day All Saints' Day is recognized as a public holiday in the following federal states: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland.
20 November - Repentance and Prayer Day Repentance and Prayer Day is exclusively observed in Saxony.
25 & 26 December - Christmas The Christmas holidays are acknowledged as public holidays in all federal states.
It is crucial to note that certain holidays, such as Reformation Day and All Saints' Day, are celebrated differently in each federal state. Travelers and businesspeople should consider the applicable holidays in each region when planning to avoid potential disruptions.