Daylight saving time. News. Autumn is when many countries, including Germany, switch from summer to winter time. The clocks go back one hour, giving us an extra hour of sleep. This change can affect our daily routines and travel plans. Here’s the date to keep in mind to avoid any confusion.
The idea of changing the clocks first came up in 1784, when Benjamin Franklin suggested it, though it wasn’t put into practice then. It came up again in 1907, when English architect William Willett highlighted the potential for saving energy. Germany became the first country in the world to introduce the system in 1916 to lower energy costs.
Exactly When Do We Change the Clocks?
On the night of Saturday to Sunday, October 27, at 3:00 a.m., we will set the clocks back to 2:00 a.m., giving us an extra hour of sleep. However, the evenings will get darker earlier. This winter time will last until March 2025, when we switch back to summer time and move the clocks forward by one hour, bringing longer days and later sunsets again.
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Is the time change still mandatory?
The debate about abolishing daylight saving time has been ongoing for several years. According to Statista.com, only 40 percent of countries worldwide still follow daylight saving time, while 60 percent keep the same time all year. Countries like Egypt, Turkey, Armenia, Argentina, Brazil, and Russia have already stopped changing the clocks. In places like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Yemen, India, China, and Japan, the clocks no longer change. Recently, Syria, Iran, Jordan, and Mexico also ended daylight saving time, with their last time change occurring in 2022.
EU time change
Across the European Union, countries still follow the time change, even though there were plans to stop it a few years ago. So far, no concrete changes have been made, meaning the clock change remains in effect. In Germany, like many other countries, the clocks will be set back on the night of October 26-27, 2024. The next switch will be on the night of March 29-30, 2025, when summer time returns and we move the clocks forward by one hour.
The time change isn’t just about an extra hour of sleep or earlier sunsets—it also impacts transport schedules, work routines, and daily life. It’s a good idea to keep this date in mind and plan ahead to avoid any inconvenience.