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Normal time applies again in Germany.
At 3 a.m. on Sunday, the clocks were put back by one hour from summer time to Central European Time.
That made the night an hour longer.
With the time change, it is now lighter earlier in the morning and darker in the evening.
Normal time, also known as winter time, applies again for five months.
At the end of March the clock will be turned again.
The signal for the automatic time change comes from the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig.
The authority's experts ensure that radio-controlled clocks, station clocks and many industrial clocks are supplied with the signal via a long-wave transmitter called DCF77.
The transmitter is located in Mainflingen, Hesse.
Summer time was introduced in Germany in 1980.
Putting the clock forward in the spring should help save energy in the bright season, but this has little effect.
In addition, the change between summer and winter time causes problems for some people's health.
Many advocate an end to the time change - but it is not yet clear when the EU will implement corresponding plans.
Editor's note: An earlier version said: Winter time is valid for half a year - but it's only five months. We have changed the position.
nck/dpa/AFP