January 1 New Year's Day

January 6 Epiphany

March 21 Good Friday

March 23 Easter Day

March 24 Easter Monday

May 1 May Day or Labour Day

May 11 Whit Sunday

May 12 Whit Monday

May 22 Corpus Christi

August 8 Peace Festival

August 15 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

October 3 Day of German Unity

October 31 Reformation Day

November 1 All Saints Day

November 19 Day of Prayer & Repentance

December 24 Christmas Eve - Government closed, half day for shops

December 25 Christmas Day

December 26 Boxing Day

December 31 New Year's Eve - Government closed, half day for shops

1In North Rhine-Westphalia, but also in other Catholic parts of Germany (Bavaria), during the carnival season many businesses close down. The so-called 5th season begins with the Thursday before Ash Wednesday with Weiberfastnacht (in Cologne and Dusseldorf) or Fasching (Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg). This day is normally only a half-working day (people start getting drunk after 12 noon!).

Non-Holiday Observances

January 27 WWII Genocide Memorial Day

Weekend Saturday, Sunday