Public holidays in Germany in 2026 include nine holidays observed throughout the entire Federal Republic, together with additional statutory holidays that apply only in particular federal states or municipalities. Because most holiday legislation is determined at Land level, a holiday shown for Bavaria, Berlin, Saxony or another state should not automatically be treated as a nationwide German public holiday.
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Next Public Holiday in Germany
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Confirmed |
Public Holidays in Germany 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Confirmed |
| April 3, 2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Confirmed |
| April 6, 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday | Confirmed |
| May 1, 2026 | Friday | Labour Day | Confirmed |
| May 14, 2026 | Thursday | Ascension Day | Confirmed |
| May 25, 2026 | Monday | Whit Monday | Confirmed |
| October 3, 2026 | Saturday | German Unity Day | Confirmed |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Confirmed |
| December 26, 2026 | Saturday | Second Day of Christmas | Confirmed |
How Public Holidays Work in Germany
Germany does not operate under one single federal public-holiday law covering every holiday. Most statutory public holidays are established under the laws of the individual Länder, while German Unity Day has a specific federal legal basis in the German Unification Treaty.
The Deutsche Bundesbank 2026 holiday calendar identifies nine holidays as valid throughout the entire Federal Republic and separately lists additional holidays that apply only in certain Länder or municipalities.
Regional Public Holidays in Germany in 2026
Germany has several statutory holidays that are not observed nationwide. Their applicability depends on the federal state and, in some cases, on the municipality.
Epiphany
Epiphany falls on 6 January 2026. It is a statutory public holiday in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt.
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day falls on 8 March 2026. It is a statutory public holiday in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi falls on 4 June 2026. It is observed as a public holiday in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, as well as certain municipalities in Saxony and Thuringia.
Assumption Day
Assumption Day falls on 15 August 2026. It is a statutory public holiday throughout Saarland and in qualifying municipalities in Bavaria.
World Children’s Day
World Children’s Day falls on 20 September 2026 and is a statutory public holiday in Thuringia.
Reformation Day
Reformation Day falls on 31 October 2026. It is a statutory holiday in Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia.
All Saints’ Day
All Saints’ Day falls on 1 November 2026. It is a statutory public holiday in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.
Day of Repentance and Prayer
The Day of Repentance and Prayer falls on 18 November 2026 and is a statutory public holiday in Saxony.
German Unity Day
German Unity Day is observed on 3 October and is the national holiday of Germany. Unlike most German public holidays, it has an explicit federal legal basis.
Article 2(2) of the German Unification Treaty states that 3 October is German Unity Day and a statutory public holiday.
In 2026, German Unity Day falls on Saturday, 3 October.
Are Public Holidays Paid in Germany?
Yes, where an employee would otherwise have worked. Section 2 of Germany’s Continued Remuneration Act provides that an employer must pay an employee the remuneration they would have received when working time is lost because of a statutory public holiday.
The relevant federal provision is available in Section 2 of the Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz.
The entitlement relates to working time actually lost because of the statutory holiday. The law also contains conditions concerning unjustified absence immediately before or after a holiday.
Can Employees Work on Public Holidays in Germany?
German working-time law generally protects Sundays and statutory public holidays as rest days. Section 9 of the Working Time Act states that employees may generally not be employed between 00:00 and 24:00 on Sundays and statutory holidays.
There are legal exceptions for activities that cannot reasonably be performed on working days, including emergency services, public safety, certain healthcare activities, transport and other specified operations. The applicable rules are set out in the German Working Time Act.
Where employees legally work on a statutory holiday that falls on a working day, the Working Time Act also provides rules for compensatory rest days.
What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend in Germany?
Germany does not have a general nationwide rule that automatically moves a statutory public holiday to the following Monday simply because it falls on Saturday or Sunday.
This is relevant in 2026 because German Unity Day falls on Saturday, 3 October, the Second Day of Christmas falls on Saturday, 26 December, International Women’s Day falls on Sunday, 8 March, and several regional holidays also fall on weekends.
Those holidays remain on their statutory calendar dates unless a specific law or exceptional government measure provides otherwise.
Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve in Germany
Christmas Eve on 24 December and New Year’s Eve on 31 December are not among the nine nationwide statutory public holidays.
The Deutsche Bundesbank identifies both dates separately as additional non-business days for the Bundesbank. This banking classification should not be interpreted as making 24 or 31 December nationwide statutory public holidays for all employees.
Bank Holidays and Bundesbank Non-Business Days
The Bundesbank’s operating calendar distinguishes between statutory public holidays and days on which particular payment or banking systems are closed.
For example, the Bundesbank lists 24 December and 31 December as additional non-business days. It also provides separate TARGET and payment-system holiday schedules. These financial-system calendars should not be merged with Germany’s general public-holiday schedule.
Long Weekends in Germany in 2026
Several nationwide holidays create useful long weekends in Germany during 2026.
- Easter: Good Friday falls on 3 April and Easter Monday falls on 6 April, creating a four-day Easter weekend for employees who normally work Monday to Friday.
- Labour Day: Friday, 1 May creates a three-day weekend for employees with a standard Saturday-Sunday weekend.
- Ascension Day: Thursday, 14 May can be combined with annual leave on Friday for a four-day break. The Friday itself is not an official public holiday.
- Whit Monday: Monday, 25 May creates a three-day weekend for employees who normally have Saturday and Sunday off.
- Christmas: Christmas Day falls on Friday, 25 December. The Second Day of Christmas falls on Saturday, 26 December.
Regional holidays may create additional breaks depending on the employee’s place of work. Any annual-leave day used to extend a weekend remains ordinary leave rather than an additional statutory holiday.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the next public holiday in Germany?
The next public holiday changes throughout the year. The live VisaBoards section near the top of this page displays the next upcoming nationwide holiday from the Germany public-holiday database.
How many nationwide public holidays does Germany have in 2026?
Germany has nine public holidays in 2026 that the Deutsche Bundesbank identifies as valid throughout the entire Federal Republic. Additional statutory holidays apply only in particular Länder or municipalities.
What is Germany’s country code?
Germany’s ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code is DE.
Are public holidays the same in every German state?
No. Nine 2026 holidays apply nationwide, but Germany also has regional statutory holidays whose applicability depends on the federal state or, in some cases, the municipality.
Is German Unity Day a nationwide public holiday?
Yes. German Unity Day on 3 October is a statutory public holiday throughout Germany. Its legal basis is Article 2(2) of the German Unification Treaty.
Is International Women’s Day a public holiday throughout Germany?
No. International Women’s Day on 8 March is a statutory public holiday in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, not throughout Germany.
Is Reformation Day a nationwide public holiday?
No. Reformation Day is a regional statutory holiday in Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia.
Do German employees get paid for public holidays?
Employees are generally entitled to the remuneration they would have received when working time is lost because of a statutory public holiday, subject to the conditions in Germany’s Continued Remuneration Act.
Does Germany move weekend public holidays to Monday?
There is no general nationwide rule automatically moving a statutory holiday to Monday when it falls on a weekend. The statutory holiday normally remains on its calendar date.
Are Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve public holidays in Germany?
No. Christmas Eve on 24 December and New Year’s Eve on 31 December are not nationwide statutory public holidays. The Deutsche Bundesbank separately treats them as additional non-business days for its operations.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Germany
- Deutsche Bundesbank – Public Holidays in Germany 2026: confirms the nine holidays valid throughout Germany, regional holiday dates and Bundesbank non-business days.
- Federal Ministry of Justice – German Unification Treaty, Article 2: establishes 3 October as German Unity Day and a statutory public holiday.
- Federal Ministry of Justice – Continued Remuneration Act, Section 2: establishes the rule for continued pay when working time is lost because of a statutory public holiday.
- Federal Ministry of Justice – Working Time Act, Section 9: sets out the general prohibition on employee work on Sundays and statutory public holidays, subject to legal exceptions.
- State of Berlin – Sunday and Public Holiday Law: provides an official example of Land-level holiday legislation and confirms International Women’s Day as a statutory holiday in Berlin.
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