The nicest working days are days off and some of them are even required by law.
Here you will find an overview of the public holidays 2021/2022.
Munich - There is also an important question to be answered this year: On which days do the public holidays fall?
And immediately afterwards: Is this a national holiday or does it differ depending on the state?
It is difficult to keep track of things and there is a certain amount of uncertainty in this regard every year.
Our summary of all public holidays 2021/2022 in Germany provides a remedy.
What are public holidays?
There is a general prohibition of employment on public holidays.
“Basically” is misleading here because there are exceptions to this rule.
For example, restaurants are allowed to open.
In addition to gastronomy, these exceptions also apply to emergency and rescue services, the fire brigade and hospitals, among others.
Only October 3rd, the day of German unity, is a national holiday.
Apart from that, the determination of public holidays is a matter of state and often, but not always, different from state to state.
When is nationwide free?
Public holidays 2021/2022 in all federal states
On the following nine public holidays, a uniform employment ban applies throughout Germany, which, however, is to be understood with the exceptions mentioned above.
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
The public holidays 2021 allow only one bridging day
If you are hoping for a long weekend thanks to a bridge day, you should mark yourself in red on May 14, 2021.
Ascension Day is on May 13th this year and will therefore fall on a Thursday in 2021.
Those who take time off on May 14th can enjoy four days off.
Ascension Day is the only national public holiday in 2021 that can be combined with a bridging day.
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Germany: An overview of all federal states
When is free in my federal state?
We have summarized for you which public holidays there are in which federal states.
All public holidays 2021/2022 at a glance, broken down by federal state:
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Bavaria
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
01/06/2021 |
01/06/2022 |
Holy Three Kings |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
06/03/2021 |
06/16/2022 |
Corpus Christi |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
11/01/2021 |
11/01/2022 |
All Saints Day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
There are also differences in Bavaria.
The following public holidays are only available in parts of the state:
08/08/2021 |
08/08/2022 |
Augsburg Peace Festival (only in the city of Augsburg) |
08/15/2021 |
08/15/2022 |
Assumption of the Virgin Mary (only in parishes with a predominantly Catholic population) |
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Baden-Württemberg
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
01/06/2021 |
01/06/2022 |
Holy Three Kings |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
06/03/2021 |
06/16/2022 |
Corpus Christi |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
11/01/2021 |
11/01/2022 |
All Saints Day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Rhineland-Palatinate
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
06/03/2021 |
06/16/2022 |
Corpus Christi |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
11/01/2021 |
11/01/2022 |
All Saints Day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
In addition to Rhineland-Palatinate, All Saints' Day is only considered a public holiday in four other federal states.
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Berlin
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
March 8th, 2021 |
03/08/2022 |
International Women's Day |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
Berlin is so far the only German federal state that has made International Women's Day on March 8 a public holiday.
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Brandenburg
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/04/2021 |
04/17/2022 |
Easter Sunday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/23/2021 |
06/05/2022 |
Pentecost Sunday |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
10/31/2021 |
10/31/2022 |
Reformation day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
In Brandenburg, apart from Easter Sunday and Pentecost Sunday, Reformation Day is also a public holiday.
This is where the state differs from many other countries.
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Saxony
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
06/03/2021 |
06/16/2022 |
Corpus Christi* |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
10/31/2021 |
10/31/2022 |
Reformation day |
11/17/2021 |
11/16/2022 |
Day of Prayer and Repentance |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
* In addition to social events, religious topics are highlighted on public holidays.
The majority of the population in Saxony is Protestant.
Only a few localities are Catholic and Corpus Christi is anchored there as a public holiday.
For this classification there is, among other things, the Corpus Christi ordinance in Saxony.
The day of repentance and prayer counts as a public holiday only in the state of Saxony.
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Bremen
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
10/31/2021 |
10/31/2022 |
Reformation day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Hamburg
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
10/31/2021 |
10/31/2022 |
Reformation day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Thuringia
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
06/03/2021 |
06/16/2022 |
Corpus Christi |
09/20/2021 |
09/20/2022 |
World Children's Day |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
10/31/2021 |
10/31/2022 |
Reformation day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
In Thuringia, the proportion of Christians is very low and the population is largely Protestant.
Only in the Eichsfeld district and a few communities is the majority of the population Catholic, where Corpus Christi is celebrated as a public holiday.
In addition, September 20th is considered a public holiday each year.
This day is World Children's Day.
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Saxony-Anhalt
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
01/06/2021 |
01/06/2022 |
Holy Three Kings |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
10/31/2021 |
10/31/2022 |
Reformation day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Schleswig-Holstein
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
10/31/2021 |
10/31/2022 |
Reformation day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Saarland
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
06/03/2021 |
06/16/2022 |
Corpus Christi |
08/15/2021 |
08/15/2022 |
Assumption Day |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
11/01/2021 |
11/01/2022 |
All Saints Day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
The public holidays 2021/2022 in North Rhine-Westphalia
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
06/03/2021 |
06/16/2022 |
Corpus Christi |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
11/01/2021 |
11/01/2022 |
All Saints Day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Lower Saxony
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
10/31/2021 |
10/31/2022 |
Reformation day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
10/31/2021 |
10/31/2022 |
Reformation day |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
The public holidays 2021/2022 in Hessen
Dates 2021 |
Dates in 2022 |
holiday |
|---|---|---|
01/01/2021 |
01/01/2022 |
New Year |
04/02/2021 |
04/15/2022 |
Good Friday |
04/05/2021 |
04/18/2022 |
Easter Monday |
05/01/2021 |
05/01/2022 |
Labor Day |
05/13/2021 |
05/26/2022 |
Ascension of Christ |
05/24/2021 |
06/06/2022 |
Whit Monday |
06/03/2021 |
06/16/2022 |
Corpus Christi |
10/03/2021 |
10/03/2022 |
Day of German unity |
December 25, 2021 |
December 25, 2022 |
1st Christmas Holiday |
December 26, 2021 |
12/26/2022 |
2nd Christmas Day |
What does the public holiday mean for employees?
According to the German Federation of Trade Unions, there is a general prohibition of employment on public holidays, apart from the above-mentioned exceptions such as hospital operations and open catering establishments.
The employer must pay the employees for working hours that are canceled due to a public holiday.
The pay is the same as for a normal working day.
However, only employees who should have worked on the day in question are paid.
Of course, not only the German employees benefit from the public holidays.
For schoolchildren, too, the motto on these days is: no school.
