Holidays and Public Holidays in Germany 2022 – Even if the summer season is over, you will still be able to take a short vacation in the near future. Public holidays, which are non working days, are approaching in Germany. Depending on which federal state you live in, you might be pleasantly surprised with how much vacation time you still have.
International Children’s Day – Tuesday, September 20, 2022 – a day off in Thuringia
People in Thuringia can expect a day off from work or school next week. Since 2019, International Children’s Day has been a day off in this federal state. Since this year’s holiday falls on a Tuesday, many people will be able to enjoy a long weekend. (German: Brückentag).
German Reunification Day – Monday, October 3, 2022 – a day off from work throughout Germany
October 3rd is Germany’s Reunification day which is celebrated throughout the country.
The Day of German Reunification – Tag der deutschen Einheit – commemorates the date when the GDR officially ceased to exist as a separate state and joined the Federal Republic of Germany in 1990. Since then, Germany has been united as the Bundesrepublika, and this date is celebrated every year as a holiday in each federal state.
This year the holiday falls on a Monday which means many people will have a long weekend.
Reformation Day (October 31) and All Saints Day (November 1)
All Saints’ Day in Germany – November 1 – is a public holiday in five states where Catholics are dominant Of the inhabitants of eight other Länder, where Protestants are predominant, the day off work is October 31 – Reformation Day.
Reformation Day – Monday, October 31
Reformation Day – Reformationstag – it is a public holiday only in Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia .
Länder on which November 1 (All Saints’ Day) is a public holiday:
- Baden-Württemberg
- Bavaria
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Rhineland-Palatinate
- Saarland
Day of Prayer and Penance – Wednesday, November 16, 2022
The Day of Prayer and Penance – Buß und Bettag – is a Protestant holiday celebrated eleven days before the first Sunday of Advent. It is a public holiday in Saxony and parts of Bavaria . In 2022, the holiday falls on November 16.
Interestingly, until 1994 this holiday was celebrated throughout Germany . The change took place in 1995.
Christmas Holidays – Sunday and Monday, December 25 and 26
Christmas – Weihnachtsfeiertag – are public holidays throughout Germany. This year they fall on Sunday and Monday.
Non-working days are also days of increased traffic on the road and no truck driving .
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Source: Federal Ministry of the Interior