Unlike most countries, Germany doesn't have one single holiday calendar — it has 17. There are 9 nationwide holidays that apply across all 16 federal states, plus additional regional ones decided independently by each Bundesland, which means the total can range anywhere from 10 to 13 holidays a year depending on exactly where you are. This feed keeps you covered with a single reminder, so you don't have to track down a state-by-state calendar every time you need to know what's closed. Click the green Configure button and choose how far ahead you want to be alerted.
Why use a reminder for German public holidays?
- Avoid the regional confusion: A holiday that's a normal working day in Berlin might be a full closure in Bavaria. A reminder takes the guesswork out of remembering which days apply where.
- Don't get caught off guard by closures: Most shops, banks, and offices close on public holidays in Germany, and unlike some countries, there's no nationwide Sunday trading either — planning ahead actually matters here.
- Catch the bridge days: Several holidays in 2026 fall right before or after a weekend, creating prime "Brückentage" opportunities to stretch one day off into a much longer break.
- One feed, the whole year: Instead of separately tracking New Year's Day, German Unity Day, both Christmas days, and the rest, get them all covered with one setup.
Why does Germany have so many different calendars?
Germany's constitution only requires one single federal holiday: German Unity Day, observed every October 3rd, which commemorates the 1990 reunification of East and West Germany. Every other public holiday — even the ones celebrated nationwide, like Christmas or Labour Day — is technically set by individual state law rather than by the federal government. This is why Bavaria, a predominantly Catholic state, observes extra Catholic feast days like Epiphany and Corpus Christi that Protestant-leaning northern states don't, while states like Brandenburg and Saxony instead observe Reformation Day, marking the day in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to a church door.
Who gets the most days off?
According to Germany's federal statistics office, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Saarland top the list with the most public holidays in any given year, while Berlin, Hamburg, and Bremen sit at the lower end with closer to the national minimum.
Worth knowing
Some of Germany's most recognizable "holidays" — like Rosenmontag (Carnival Monday) in the Rhineland or Christmas Eve on December 24th — aren't legally recognized public holidays at all, even though many businesses close anyway and the whole country feels like it's on a break.
So whether you're planning around a regional closure or just trying to keep track of a uniquely layered holiday system, click that green Configure button and let the dates come to you.