Red-Letter Days
Nationwide rules first
Statutory public holidays in Germany. Quickly check all official dates and plan your paid days off.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS. SCHOOL BREAKS.
Plan leave blocks for your workplace federal state; school breaks do not create employee time off.
Data coverage
For Germany, compare state school dates with the available KMK and state publications. The calculation range 1980-2040 is not a claim of complete historical holiday-law coverage.
Holiday & Vacation Overview
Regional applicability
For a German workplace, compare statutory status with the applicable federal-state or local rule; the regional or religious category alone does not decide employee time off.
Filters:
2026
January
New Year's Day
Public01.01.
2026
Valid in federal states:
All federal states
Nationwide public holiday.
Epiphany
Regional06.01.
2026
Valid in federal states:
BW BY ST
Public holiday in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt.
March
International Women's Day
Regional08.03.
2026
Valid in federal states:
BE MV
Public holiday in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
April
Good Friday
Public03.04.
2026
Valid in federal states:
All federal states
Nationwide public holiday.
Easter Sunday
Regional05.04.
2026
Valid in federal states:
BB
Public holiday in Brandenburg; elsewhere it is already Sunday.
Easter Monday
Public06.04.
2026
Valid in federal states:
All federal states
Nationwide public holiday.
May
Labour Day
Public01.05.
2026
Valid in federal states:
All federal states
Nationwide public holiday on 1 May.
Ascension Day
Public14.05.
2026
Valid in federal states:
All federal states
Nationwide public holiday.
Whit Sunday
Regional24.05.
2026
Valid in federal states:
BB
Public holiday in Brandenburg; elsewhere it is already Sunday.
Whit Monday
Public25.05.
2026
Valid in federal states:
All federal states
Nationwide public holiday.
June
Corpus Christi
Regional04.06.
2026
Valid in federal states:
BW BY HE NW RP SL SN Applies in part of this region: Sachsen TH Applies in part of this region: Thüringen
Public holiday in several states, not nationwide.
August
Augsburg Peace Festival
Regional08.08.
2026
Valid in federal states:
BY Applies in part of this region: Bayern
Public holiday only in the city of Augsburg.
Assumption Day
Regional15.08.
2026
Valid in federal states:
BY Applies in part of this region: Bayern SL
Public holiday in Saarland and Catholic-majority municipalities in Bavaria.
September
October
German Unity Day
Public03.10.
2026
Valid in federal states:
All federal states
Nationwide public holiday on 3 October.
Reformation Day
Regional31.10.
2026
Valid in federal states:
BB HB HH MV NI SN ST SH TH
Public holiday in several northern and eastern states.
November
All Saints' Day
Regional01.11.
2026
Valid in federal states:
BW BY NW RP SL
Public holiday in BW, BY, NW, RP and SL.
Day of Repentance and Prayer
Regional18.11.
2026
Valid in federal states:
SN
Public holiday in Saxony.
December
Christmas Eve
Religious24.12.
2026
Valid in federal states:
All federal states
Not a public holiday; many businesses and shops close earlier.
Christmas Day
Public25.12.
2026
Valid in federal states:
All federal states
Nationwide public holiday on 25 December.
Second Christmas Day
Public26.12.
2026
Valid in federal states:
All federal states
Nationwide public holiday on 26 December.
New Year's Eve
Info31.12.
2026
Valid in federal states:
All federal states
Not a public holiday; special opening hours are common.
Guide
Workplace and school dates
Leave blocks depend on the public holidays at your workplace, not simply your home address. Check local exceptions and keep school dates separate.
School Holidays
Family timing matters
Summer, Winter, Easter, and Autumn breaks. Specific dates vary by federal state and planning context.
bridge days
Turn dates into time off
Maximize your time off: with well-placed bridge days, individual vacation days can become longer free blocks.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Public Holidays in Germany
Quick answers for nationwide holidays, state-specific rules, school breaks, and bridge-day planning.
Which public holidays apply throughout Germany?
Nationwide public holidays include New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, German Unity Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Other holidays depend on the federal state.
Why does the federal-state filter matter?
German holiday law is partly state-level law. A day can be a public holiday in Bavaria or North Rhine-Westphalia while remaining a normal working day in Berlin or Hamburg.
Are German school holidays the same in every state?
No. School holidays are coordinated and published by state. Families should compare the holiday matrix with the KMK school-holiday calendar and any school-specific free days.
How do bridge days work in Germany?
Bridge days are normal workdays between a public holiday and the weekend. A Thursday holiday can often become a four-day break with one vacation day on Friday, but the result depends on the state where the holiday applies.
Data basis
Official-source-backed dates, clear planning views
The overview combines German public-holiday rules, regional holiday data and official school-calendar dates. Filters, quick links and planning summaries build on that shared date basis.