Last updated: 31.10.2023, 04:58 a.m.
By: Marcel Guboff
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October 31 is Reformation Day. On the day on which Halloween is also celebrated, however, not all people have the day off, but only those in certain federal states.
Hamm - It is a custom that originated in Ireland. But Halloween is also finding more and more enthusiasts in Germany. Children dress up, roam the neighbourhood – hoping for "trick-or-treats", otherwise there are "treats". And adults like to take the opportunity on October 31 to arrange spooky parties in the evening.
On October 31, Halloween – Reformation Day is a public holiday in Protestant federal states
Halloween takes place on the day before All Saints' Day, which is a public holiday in many states. Of course, Halloween itself is not a holiday. And yet many people in Germany have this day off. Because October 31 is also Reformation Day. This is the commemoration day of the Reformation and is celebrated by Protestant Christians in Germany as well as in Austria on 31 October in commemoration of the beginning of the Reformation of the Church by Martin Luther in 1517.
This, in turn, means that in all "non-Catholic" federal states, October 31 is a holiday on the occasion of Reformation Day – not because of Halloween, as wa.de reports. These include:
- Brandenburg
- Bremen
- Hamburg
- Lower Saxony
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Saxony
- Saxony-Anhalt
- Schleswig-Holstein
- Thuringia
In these countries, pupils are therefore off school, shops remain closed. However, they do not get to enjoy two days off in a row. For them, on the other hand, All Saints' Day on November 1 is not a holiday – this only applies in the "Catholic federal states" such as North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria.
October 31 is not only Reformation Day, but also Halloween
Because October 31 is also Halloween, there are many specials and events, including in amusement parks. For example, the Zoom in Gelsenkirchen offers a fire show and spooky fun. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, Halloween fans at the Toverland theme park have it in their own hands how spooky it gets.