Imagine standing in front of a closed office in Berlin because you forgot that today is a work-free day in Germany. Or you’re planning an important business trip and suddenly it turns out that trains are full, shops are closed, and streets are filled with families enjoying a long weekend. In Germany, statutory work-free days have great significance not only for residents but also for people working abroad, cooperating with German companies, or planning vacations there. In this post, you’ll find specific dates of work-free days in Germany for 2025, learn why the holiday calendar differs depending on the state, and how these differences can affect your daily life and vacation planning – welcome!
How many work-free days do Germans have – numbers that really make a difference
You might be surprised how important the holiday calendar in Germany is if you live, work, or plan to travel there. In 2025, Germans have a full 21 statutory work-free days, but not all apply throughout the entire country. How many actually free days you’ll have depends on the state where you live or work. Residents of Hamburg or Bremen have the fewest, namely 10, while those from Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg can count on even 14 free days per year. For people working in Germany, these differences have real significance when planning vacations or organizing daily life.
Work-free days in Germany are not only time for rest but also moments when shops, offices, and banks are closed. It’s worth noting these dates in your calendar to avoid situations where you plan important shopping or trips on a day when everything will be closed. Knowledge of the German free days calendar allows you to plan better, save time, and avoid unnecessary stress, especially if you have planned work or official business.
What decides when Germans have time off – the calendar depends on place of residence
Statutory work-free days in Germany are established both at the national and state level, so they’re not the same everywhere. Nine holidays apply in all 16 states, and the rest are local holidays that result from religious or historical traditions of a given region. If you live in Bavaria, you can count on more free days, such as Corpus Christi or Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which are not free days in northern Germany. It’s worth knowing these differences, especially if you cooperate with companies from different parts of Germany or plan to handle official matters on a specific date.
List of holidays in Germany in 2025 – note them before you plan vacation
Below you’ll find the complete list of statutory work-free days in Germany for 2025, which will allow you to plan the year in advance:
01.01 – New Year (Neujahrstag),
18.04 – Good Friday (Karfreitag),
21.04 – Easter Monday (Ostermontag),
01.05 – Labor Day (Tag der Arbeit),
29.05 – Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt),
09.06 – Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag),
03.10 – Day of German Unity (Tag der Deutschen Einheit),
25.12 – First Christmas Day (1. Weihnachtstag),
26.12 – Second Christmas Day (2. Weihnachtstag),
Additionally, depending on the state, regional holidays may apply, such as:
06.01 – Epiphany (Heilige Drei Könige) – Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt,
08.03 – International Women’s Day (Internationaler Frauentag) – Berlin, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania,
08.05 – Liberation Day Anniversary (Jahrestag der Befreiung) – Berlin (exceptionally in 2025),
19.06 – Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam) – Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland,
08.08 – Augsburg Peace Festival (Augsburger Friedensfest) – exclusively in the city of Augsburg (Bavaria),
15.08 – Assumption of Mary (Mariä Himmelfahrt) – Saarland; additionally in selected municipalities of Bavaria (Catholic areas),
20.09 – World Children’s Day (Weltkindertag) – Saxony,
31.10 – Reformation Day (Reformationstag) – Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia,
01.11 – All Saints’ Day (Allerheiligen) – Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland,
19.11 – Day of Repentance and Prayer (Buß- und Bettag, Saxony) – Saxony (statutory holiday); in Bavaria only a school-free day.
Free days in Germany and work planning – what’s worth knowing?
Many people forget that statutory work-free days in Germany affect the functioning of the entire country, including transportation, operation of offices, shops, and companies. It’s worth keeping in mind that most shops are closed on holidays, and transport operates on a limited basis. If you’re planning a trip, business travel, or shopping, knowledge of these dates will help you avoid situations where you won’t handle important matters or get stuck in traffic jams related to tourist movement.
Work-free days are also an opportunity to plan long weekends, which Germans often use by combining them with vacations. It’s worth remembering this, especially if you cooperate with German business partners – on these days, the response to your email may come later than usual, and decision-making processes may be prolonged. Knowledge of the holiday calendar in Germany gives you an organizational advantage and allows you to plan activities in advance, which is especially important when working abroad.
Maciej Szewczyk is an IT consultant, innovation manager, and sworn German translator specializing in Polish and German tax law.
He gained experience as a consultant on IT projects for many international companies. In 2017, he founded the startup taxando GmbH, where he developed the innovative tax app Taxando, which simplifies the filing of annual tax returns.
Maciej Szewczyk combines technological expertise with in-depth knowledge of tax regulations, making him an expert in his field. In his private life, he is a happy husband and father and lives with his family in Berlin.
