Germany Public Holidays 2025
Germany has 9 nationwide public holidays in 2025, and every one of them falls on a weekday. Easter (Apr 18–21) and Christmas (Dec 25–28) both produce four-day breaks, while Labour Day (Thu May 1) and Ascension Day (Thu May 29) are prime Brückentag candidates — one vacation day buys four days off.
Nationwide holidays
9
Longest break
Easter · 4 days
Lost to weekends
None
With state days
Up to 13 (Bavaria)
2025 Germany calendar
01January
02February
03March
04April
05May
06June
07July
08August
09September
10October
11November
12December
Germany public holiday list
| Date | Day | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2025 | Wednesday | New Year's DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| April 18, 2025 | Friday | Good FridayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| April 21, 2025 | Monday | Easter MondayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| May 1, 2025 | Thursday | Labour DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| May 29, 2025 | Thursday | Ascension DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| June 9, 2025 | Monday | Whit MondayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| October 3, 2025 | Friday | German Unity DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| December 25, 2025 | Thursday | Christmas DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| December 26, 2025 | Friday | Boxing DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
Germany long weekends in 2025
Easter
4 daysApr 18 – 21
Good Friday and Easter Monday bracket the weekend — four days off.
Labour Day bridge
4 daysMay 1 – 4
Labour Day falls on a Thursday. Friday May 2 is a classic Brückentag — a vacation day, not a public holiday.
Ascension bridge
4 daysMay 29 – Jun 1
Ascension Day is always a Thursday. Friday May 30 is the most popular Brückentag of the year — a vacation day, not a public holiday.
Whit Monday
3 daysJun 7 – 9
German Unity Day
3 daysOct 3 – 5
Christmas
4 daysDec 25 – 28
Christmas Day (Thu) and Boxing Day (Fri) run straight into the weekend — four days off.
Nationwide holidays vs state (Bundesland) holidays
Only nine public holidays apply in all of Germany. Each of the 16 federal states adds its own days: Epiphany (Jan 6) in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt; International Women's Day (Mar 8) in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern; Corpus Christi in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and parts of Saxony and Thuringia; the Assumption (Aug 15) in Saarland and Bavaria's mostly Catholic areas; Reformation Day (Oct 31) in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Bremen; All Saints (Nov 1) in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland; and Buß- und Bettag in Saxony only.
Bavaria tops the table with up to 13 holidays in total, while Berlin and Hamburg get only the nine nationwide days plus (in Berlin's case) Women's Day. Always check the calendar for your specific state.
No substitute days: a weekend holiday is simply lost
Unlike the UK or Japan, Germany has no substitute-day rule. When a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no weekday off in lieu — the holiday is simply lost for employees on a standard Monday-to-Friday week.
In 2025, employees are lucky: all nine nationwide holidays land on weekdays, so nothing is lost. That is not always the case — in 2027, four of the nine fall on weekends.
Brückentage: how Germans turn 1 vacation day into 4 days off
A "Brückentag" (bridge day) is the working day between a holiday and the weekend, which Germans routinely take as vacation. Ascension Day always falls on a Thursday, so the Friday after it is the country's most popular bridge day — one vacation day turns into a four-day weekend.
In 2025 the bridge days are Friday May 2 (after Labour Day) and Friday May 30 (after Ascension). Book early — offices and trains empty out on those Fridays, and popular destinations fill up fast.
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Official sources & data
- Public holidays in Germany 2025Visit sourceDeutsche Bundesbank
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does Germany have in 2025?+
Nine nationwide. Individual states add their own days — Bavaria reaches up to 13 in total — while states like Hamburg and Bremen stick to the nine.
Which days are public holidays in all of Germany, and which only in some states?+
Nationwide: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, German Unity Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. State-level days include Epiphany, Women's Day (Berlin), Corpus Christi, the Assumption, Reformation Day, All Saints and Buß- und Bettag (Saxony).
What happens when a German holiday falls on a weekend?+
Nothing — Germany has no substitute-day rule, so the holiday is simply lost for Monday-to-Friday workers. In 2025 all nine nationwide holidays fall on weekdays, so nothing is lost this year.
When is Easter in Germany in 2025?+
Good Friday is April 18 and Easter Monday is April 21, 2025 — a four-day weekend nationwide.
What is a Brückentag?+
A "bridge day" — the working day between a holiday and the weekend, taken as vacation. In 2025, Friday May 2 (after Labour Day) and Friday May 30 (after Ascension) are the classic examples: one vacation day yields four days off.
Is December 24 (Christmas Eve) a public holiday in Germany?+
No. Neither Dec 24 nor Dec 31 is a public holiday, but most shops close around 2pm on both days, and many offices give staff the day off.
