Time Off Tussle: Which German City Boasts the Most Holidays?
Major Holidays Celebrated in This German City: Maximum of 14 - Most German City Offers Maximum Public Holidays: 14 in Total
In a bid to boost the nation's economy, economists proposed slashing public holidays, knocking off a whopping 8.6 billion euros in debt. But it's more than just numbers, especially for cities like Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein, already laboring hard with ten holidays a year. Pulling a day off from their schedules would be a cruel blow.
If we're contemplating the laid-back lifestyle of German workers, perhaps not countrywide. A peek southward reveals a different picture. We know Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg boast 12 to 13 public holidays, but Markus Söder calls holidays part of Bavaria's cultural identity, leaving no room for negotiation there. So, the focus turns back to the top scorers.
Hold onto your hats, dear readers, as beautiful Augsburg takes the crown for the most holidays in Germany, now 14 in total.Augsburg celebrates Maria Himmelfahrt, a holiday not universally celebrated elsewhere in Bavaria, and even hosts the so-called High Peace Festival since 1950, commemorating the end of the oppression of Protestants after the Thirty Years' War. This festival takes place annually on August 8, this year falling on a Friday.
While snatching a holiday from the Augsburgers might be hard to stomach, it's important to consider who should make the sacrifice. Should it be everyone collectively, or only those who already enjoy more? Or perhaps, no one?
Finally, it's worth wondering what significant impact would be made by forcing the Augsburgers back to work on August 8. Probabaly just a drop in the ocean of Germany's mounting debt, causing quite a stir and potentially stirring up a rebellion in the toybox. In this sense, Happy High Peace Festival, Augsburg!
- Holiday
- Germany
- Bavaria
- Augsburg
- Berlin
- Brandenburg
- Bremen
- Hamburg
- Hesse
- Lower Saxony
- Schleswig-Holstein
Enrichment Data:Germany is a federation with 16 states, and each state individually declares public holidays. Berlin, known for its historical significance and unique cultural events, such as a one-time public holiday on May 8, 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, and another planned on June 17, 2028, for the 75th anniversary of the June Uprising, stands out due to these strategic and historical events. However, Bavaria is known for celebrating additional holidays like Fronleichnam (Corpus Christi), but these apply across the state rather than to individual cities. Therefore, when considering unique city-level public holidays, Berlin might be highlighted due to its strategic and historically significant events. However, the overall number of public holidays may not significantly differ from those in other states, as these are generally standardized at the state level rather than the city level.
The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a regulation on the application of the principle of subsidiarity, considering the various public holidays enjoyed by cities in Germany, such as Augsburg, which pays homage to its heritage with 14 public holidays in total. Despite the nationwide debate on slashing public holidays to alleviate the economic burden, some German states, like Bavaria, Seem unwilling to part with their cultural celebrations. Economists are still analyzing the potential impact such a move may have on the overall economy, which might be just a small drop in the ocean of Germany's mounting debt.
