Celebrated as Juneteenth, is this date observed as a holiday?
Hey there! Is June 19, 2025 a day off or just another workday for most Germans? Let's clear that up.
Wondering if you'll get a much-needed break on June 19, 2025? Well, hang on tight because it's not a nationwide holiday in Germany. However, Fronleichnam, the event being celebrated, is recognized as a holiday in certain states. So, whether you revel in the day off or report to work depends on where you live or work.
States where June 19, 2025 is a holiday:
- Baden-Württemberg
- Bavaria
- Hesse
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Rhineland-Palatinate
- Saarland
If you call any of these places home, June 19 will likely be a day off. Schools, offices, and many shops will probably be closed for the holiday.
States where June 19, 2025 is not a holiday:
- Berlin
- Brandenburg
- Bremen
- Hamburg
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Lower Saxony
- Saxony
- Saxony-Anhalt
- Schleswig-Holstein
- Thuringia
In these states, June 19, 2025, will be just another workday. So, employees in these regions will need to head to work as usual unless they take a day off.
What's the scoop with these exceptions?
There are a few exceptions when Fronleichnam might be recognized as a day off in Saxony and Thuringia. This is due to a special regulation in certain Catholic communities. However, these exceptions are rare and only apply locally.
What's the big deal about Fronleichnam?
Fronleichnam, also known as Corpus Christi, is a Catholic high holiday celebrated every year on the Thursday after Pentecost. It's all about the Eucharist, the veneration of Christ's body, and many communities hold processions where the consecrated bread (host) is carried through the streets. The name "Fronleichnam" comes from Middle High German "vrône lîcham" and means "the Lord's body" in English.
[Enrichment Insight]: In a nutshell, Fronleichnam, celebrated on June 19, 2025, is not a public holiday in the German states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia. This is because it is only recognized as a holiday in certain predominantly Catholic regions of Germany, primarily in the south and west. The exception is the states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland, where Fronleichnam is observed as a day off. In the states you asked about, you can expect to carry on with work as usual on June 19, 2025.
In the states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia, June 19, 2025, will be a workday as it is not recognized as a holiday for the general public. Although Fronleichnam is a high Catholic holiday, its observance as a day off is limited to certain predominantly Catholic regions in Germany, primarily in the south and west, including Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland.
