What are holidays in Germany?

Question

What are holidays in Germany?

Answer 1

Holidays are plentiful in Germany. I couldn't begin to tell you what each of them is celebrating, but they are mostly religious holidays.

Answer 2

This site has the best overview of holidays and explains them a bit.

http://german.about.com/library/blbraeuc...

Answer 3

fraitag

Answer 4

http://www.serve.com/shea/germusa/custom...

Answer 5

The same definition as in other countries.

Answer 6

FERIEN

Answer 7

AUTUMN

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX

September 22 Harvest Home, day roughly equals night (equi-nox). Around the Autumnal Equinox Oktoberfests and Germanfests are held.

End of September Oktoberfests in Germany and North America.

September 26 1st Austrian American Day in 1997. Presidential Praise.

September 29 St. Michaelistag/Michaelmas

1st Sunday in Oct. Erntedankfest / Thanksgiving in Germany

October 1 First Germans at Jamestown, Va in 1608.

October 2 German Canadian Day. Related links.

October 3 Tag der deutschen Einheit - Day of German Unity

October 6 German-American Day

October 31 Reformationstag - Reformation Day

Cross Quarter Day

October 31  Halloween, the last day of Fall, separates Autumnal Equinox from Midwinter Solstice. One of the year's most significant pagan fests.



WINTER TRADITIONS AND HOLIDAYS

November 1 All Saints' Day - All Hallows/Allerheiligen (official holiday)

November 2 All Souls' Day - Allerseelen

November 9 Fall of the Wall and Kristallnacht remembered

November 11 St. Martin's Day; kicks-off Karneval in some areas.

3rd Sunday in Nov. Volkstrauertag - Memorial Day.

Wed. before Totensonntag Buss- und Bettag - Day of Repentance and Prayer (official holiday)  

November 25 Heilige Katharina

Last Sunday before Advent Totensonntag - Sunday of the Dead. Protestant.

4th Thursday in Nov. American Thanksgiving compared to German Erntedankfest.

1st Sunday after Nov 26 Advent begins, ends on Xmas eve; Christmas Markets open.

November 30 St. Andreas/St. Andrew

December 4 St. Barbara

December 5 and 6 St. Nikolaus/St. Nicholas: historical, Santa, holiday.

December 8 Mariä Empfängnis and Weihnachtskrippen

December 13 St. Lucia: Festival of Lights. Italian & Swedish traditions, songs.  

Hanukkah The story, celebration, recipes, rituals, games, resources, Yiddish.

Kwanzaa An African Midwinter Festival.  

Ramadan Islamic festival. Related issue of Turks in Germany.

WINTER

MIDWINTER SOLSTICE

Dec. 21 the point at which the sun reaches its greatest declination, north;

the beginning of the solar new year, celebrated with bonfires.  

December 21 St. Thomas: the doubting Thomas

Christmas Background, religion, customs, teaching, countless links!

December 24  Tree is put up. Midnight "Christ Mass". 1st day of Xmas.

December 25/26 Christmas / Weihnachten (official holidays in Germany).

December 26 Boxing Day in England

December 31 Silvester/New Year's Eve

January 1 Neujahr/New Year's Day. Poems.

January 6 Three Kings and Epiphany - ends the 12 days of Xmas.

3rd Monday in Jan. ML King, Jr. Day. German-Americans and civil rights.

Cross Quarter Day

February 1 Groundhog/Candlemas Day is the quarter point between the Midwinter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox.  

SPRING TRADITIONS AND HOLIDAYS

February 2 Groundhog and Candlemas Day (Maria Lichtmess)

February 14  St. Valentin/Valentine's Day  

2006 Karneval - Fastnacht - Fasching. Preparations began on 11.11 - Martinstag.  

Thursday, Feb 23, 2006 Weiberfasnacht / Old Wives Carnival: women have "Narrenfreiheit"

Sunday Faschingssonntag / Greasy Sunday

Monday Feb 27, 2006 Rosenmontag. Famous Parade televised from Cologne

Shrove Tues/Mardi Gras Faschingsdienstag: all parties stop when clock strikes Midnight

Ash Wed March 1, 2006  Aschermittwoch

. Purim: Jewish celebration of religious freedom.

March 17 St. Patrick's Day: Irish-German connection?

March 25 The Annunciation / Maria Verkündigung (9 mos. to Xmas) Lätare(3rd Sun. pre Easter)

April 9, 2006 Palmsonntag / Palm Sunday begins Holy Week. Last Sunday before Easter.

April 13, 2006  Gründonnerstag - Maundy Thursday

April 14, 2006  Karfreitag / Good Friday

April 16, 2006 Easter / Ostern: background, customs, celebration.  

. Pesach / Passover  

SPRING

VERNAL EQUINOX

March 20 Vernal Equinox. Rebirth of Nature, night & day each appx.12 hours.

April 1 April, April / April Fool's Day  

April 6 Scottisch-American Day  

Cross Quarter Day

April 30 May Eve/Walpurgisnacht, the last day of Spring, cross quarter day separating Vernal Equinox from Midsummer Solstice.



SUMMER TRADITIONS AND HOLIDAYS

May 1 May Day / Maifeier / Tag der Arbeit.

May 25, 2006 Christi Himmelfahrt Ascension: 40 days after Easter. Father's Day

Shavuos/Pentecost Jewish festival 50 days after Passover.  

May 11-15  Die Eisheiligen

June 4, 2006  Pfingsten / Pentecost - Whitsunday

June 15, 2006 Trinitas, Fronleichnam, Corpus Christi: 50 days after Easter

SUMMER

MIDSUMMER SOLSTICE

June 20 Midsummer Solstice is the point at which the sun reaches its greatest declination south. Sonnwend/Midsummer Night

June 24 Johannistag - Summer Solstice - Midsummer Night.

July 1 Canada Day

July 4 US Independence Day plus the Declaration in German.

August 1 Founding of the Confederatio Helvetia in 1291.

August 15 Maria Himmelfahrt - Assumption of our Lady

Answer 8

ferien?

Answer 9

it seems like they have one every week when i was there!!!  all the stores were closed because of a "German Holiday"