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WORKING IN GERMANY

Which public holidays are coming up in Germany?

Now that summer is over, many people will be wondering when the next holidays are coming up. Depending on where you live in Germany, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Published: 13 September 2022 17:26 CEST
Updated: 19 September 2022 10:53 CEST
An angel figure in the West Cemetery in Munich on November 1st, 2021.
An angel figure in the West Cemetery in Munich on November 1st, 2021. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe

World Children’s Day – Tuesday, September 20th

Where: Thuringia

If you live in the state of Thuringia, you can look forward to a day off work or school next week.  

Established by the United Nations in 1954, World Children’s Day honours children as the future of society and is intended to draw attention to the rights of children, focus on their individual needs and make political demands on their behalf.

Children hold up banners in front of the Reichstag with their demands on World Children’s Day, 2020. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jörg Carstensen

The state of Thuringia decided to make Weltkindertag a public holiday in 2019, hoping that the day off would draw attention to the needs of children and families, and encourage parents to spend more time with their children.

As the holiday falls on a Tuesday, if you’re living in Thuringia, why not take a Brückentag (bridge day) and enjoy a four-day weekend?

READ ALSO: German word of the day: Der Brückentag

Useful vocabulary for this holiday: 

Family time – (die) Familienzeit

Child rights – (die) Kinderrechte

German Unity Day – Monday, October 3rd

Where: Nationwide

The next nationwide public holiday to put in your calendar is October 3rd, when the country celebrates German Unity Day.

Tag der deutschen Einheit – German Unity Day – celebrates the date that the GDR officially ceased to exist as a sovereign state and rejoined the Federal Republic of Germany in 1990. Since then, Germany has been reunited as the Bundesrepublik and the date is celebrated every year with a holiday in every federal state.

This year it lands on a Monday meaning that many people will get a long weekend. 

Useful vocabulary for this holiday: 

Reunification – (die) Wiedervereinigung

Fall of the Berlin Wall – (der) Mauerfall

All Saints’ Day – Tuesday, November 1st

Where: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland

The history of All Saints’ Day goes right back to the birth of Christianity, as it was originally a day of commemoration for martyrs who were killed because of their Christian faith when it was introduced in the 4th century.

Nowadays, in Germany, the feast day is celebrated every year on November 1st, with masses and remembrance services in cemeteries to remember the dead.

Two roses and a candle on a grave in the West Cemetery in Munich on November 1st, 2021. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe

On All Saints’ Day, it’s customary to decorate graves of the deceased with flowers, candles and even food and drink.

While the day is recognised as a religious feast day throughout Germany, only the more traditionally Catholic states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland offer a public holiday. 

Useful vocabulary for this holiday: 

To commemorate someone/something – jemaden/etwas gedenken

Grave – (die) Grabe

Day of Prayer and Repentance – Wednesday, November 16th

Where: Saxony and Bavaria (for school children)

READ ALSO: Saxony public holiday: What’s the history behind ‘Buß und Bettag’?

Every year, the Wednesday before Totensonntag  (the Sunday of the dead – this year November 20th) – is known as the Day of Prayer and Repentance.

Historically, Buß und Bettag was a call to the nation to pray together and confess sins, in the hope that this would prevent future disasters.

Today, the holiday is used for reflection on individual and social issues and many Protestant congregations hold services on this day for this purpose.

Up until 1995, the religious holiday was a national holiday, but now it is only a day off for everyone in Saxony and for school children in Bavaria.

Useful vocabulary for this holiday: 

To pray – beten

To confess sins – die Sünde bekennen

Christmas Day – Sunday, December 25th

Where: Nationwide

One of the most important days in the Christian calendar, the celebration which commemorates the birth of Jesus is always a nationwide public holiday in Germany.

Candles decorate a Christmas tree in a living room. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Karl-Josef Hildenbrand

But, unlike, for example, in the UK, if it falls on a weekend, it’s not compensated for with a free weekday in the following week. That’s sadly the case this year, as the 25th will fall on a Sunday.  

READ ALSO: Should Germany ensure workers get a day off for every public holiday?

Useful vocabulary for this holiday: 

Christmas day – der erste Weihnachtstag

Boxing Day – Monday, December 26th 

Boxing day – or as it’s known in Germany, der zweite Weihnachtstag (the second Christmas day) is also always a nationwide holiday. 

In Germany, the 26th is traditionally a day to spend visiting grandparents or godparents. 

Luckily, this year, the 26th falls on a Monday, which means everyone in Germany will enjoy a day off for the last public holiday of the year. 

Useful vocabulary for this holiday: 

To visit – besuchen

What about 2023?

2023 doesn’t get off to a great start in terms of public holidays, as January 1st – New Year’s Day – like Christmas Day, falls on a Sunday, meaning that most Germans will miss out on a free day off work.

But, for the rest of the year, all of the other major holidays will fall on weekdays, so those in employment will get the most out of them. We’ll make sure to round them all up for you soon so you can plan your time off for next year. 

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READER INSIGHTS

‘Prepare for lots of paperwork’: What it’s like to be self-employed in Germany

Being self-employed or freelance in Germany has lots of positives but it can also be costly and difficult - especially during an economic slump. The Local readers share what it's like working for yourself in Germany in 2024 along with their advice.

Published: 24 May 2024 15:17 CEST
'Prepare for lots of paperwork': What it's like to be self-employed in Germany

Working for yourself in Germany can be a rewarding experience. But it’s fair to say that being self-employed is not for the faint-hearted.

With a lot of bureaucracy to wade through and high costs, those who decide to go it alone – whether through setting up a business or as a freelancer – can face hurdles.  

And it can get even more tricky during a cost of living crisis. A recent survey found that many self-employed people are facing difficulties finding assignments as Germany’s economy has slumped. 

READ ALSO: Almost half of freelancers in Germany struggling to find assignments

The Local asked readers to share their experience of being self-employed in Germany, what changes they’d like to see and their tips for others who are considering going down this path.  

‘Golden era is over’

There were mixed views on how the situation stands at the moment, although most said they had seen a dip in the market.

Freelance language teacher Joe, 54, based in Munich, said demand was still there “but less budget seems to be affecting some clients”. 

Andrew, 39, in Berlin, who is a freelance web developer, said “The tech market is tough right now, with the ‘golden era’ of the 2010s being over.

“I blame massive VC over-investment creating unrealistic demand in 2020 and now companies are cutting back.”

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about becoming a freelancer in Germany 

Others said the slowdown was improving.

“I have a steady work stream for now and the market seems to be slowly improving, but there was a sharp downturn towards the end of 2021 and the market has been very noticeably harder since then,” said Michele, 33, who’s based in Berlin and is a freelance software engineer.

‘More difficult finding German clients’

Lots of people said they were looking for clients outside Germany.

Haylee, 34, a copywriter in Berlin, said competition was “super high” right now. 

“Luckily I can look for jobs in my home country (Australia) as well,” she said. 

Luc, 58, who’s based in Munich and works in business development for life sciences said it has been “more difficult to find German clients, but easier finding clients located in Asia that are looking for European entry and support”.

Self-employed or an employee? Being self-employed can be tricky but rewarding in Germany.

Self-employed or an employee? Being self-employed can be tricky but rewarding in Germany. Photo: picture alliance / dpa-tmn | Andrea Warnecke

For Erica, 40, looking outside Germany has also been a way for her to keep a steady stream of work.

The self-employed copywriter in Berlin said: “I have had a lot of prospects, new projects and clients in the past two years. I work across the US, UK and EU markets, among others, so I am not directly reliant on German clients. While other freelancers limited to the tech or generic marketing sectors have faced a downswing, my sector (corporate sustainability) is very active.”

Another respondent, Alex, 40, in Berlin, who works as a consultant for digital product development said it was harder to find assignments and that there was a higher expectation on creating content. 

Advances in technology are also a factor. A writer and journalist who has been freelancing for several years told us: “Several side gigs have been replaced by generative AI (blog posts and white papers).”

‘Everything falls on the freelancer’

When asked how Germany fares as a country to be self-employed in, respondents said it isn’t easy. 

“Compared to being a salaried employee it’s not that great,” said language teacher Joe in Munich. 

Most people mentioned the high cost of health insurance and other insurance contributions, as well as the extra paperwork. Others said it has become more difficult to find a tax advisor, and urged Germany to make processes around self-employed and freelance policies simpler. 

Gordon Barnes, 50, in Munich, who is an IT consultant said the biggest problem about being self-employed in Germany is “around pension and retirement planning”

“Everything is on the freelancer without any support,” he added. 

Jason Wright, 46, a freelance motorsport design engineer based in North Rhine-Westphalia said those going it alone need to be “prepared for a lot of paperwork and strict constraints on how you operate on a day-to-day basis”.

He said he’d like to see more support available in English “especially from the tax authorities”. 

READ ALSO: How to get a freelance visa for Germany from outside the EU

A woman working on her laptop.

A woman working on her laptop. Photo by Marcus Aurelius: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-using-macbook-pro-4063697/

Consultant Mike Moseley, 66, in Mülheim un der Ruhr, said he found the process of registering as self-employed and doing tax returns “intimidating”. 

Michele in Berlin said taking the first steps to becoming a freelancer in Germany is hard.

“This is not my first freelancing stint, so I’m quite accustomed to the processes, but the entry barrier is still fairly high,” said Michele.

Andrew in Berlin said, however, that once you get a tax advisor and fill in the correct registration forms, “it’s generally pretty straight-forward”.

Get a tax advisor, save and network

Many respondents advised getting professional advice on taxes. 

Alex in Berlin recommended networking to meet and talk with other freelancers, getting a separate bank account and trying to get a tax advisor “as soon as possible”. 

A few respondents to our survey recommended those who are eligible to apply for Germany’s artist social insurance fund, known as the Künstlersozialkasse (KSK), which provides artistic freelancers with an affordable way into the social insurance system.

“You can get copies of the application form in English if you need it, said a writer who wished to remain anonymous.

READ ALSO: KSK – How creative freelancers can pay less for German health insurance

The Local readers also recommended saving.

“Be sure to put something aside each month for retirement,” said Richard, 70, in Frankfurt.

Andrew in Berlin said people should set aside 25 percent of their income from the start for taxes, adding: “Another 20 percent will likely go to the Krankenkasse!”

Meanwhile, Erica in Berlin advised people to “think strategically through all aspects of business” when they venture into freelancing.

“Explore different pricing models beyond hourly, which doesn’t reward high experience or efficiency,” she said. “Connect with high-earning freelancers in your field and learn from them. Set boundaries with clients on timelines, scope, and service offers. Develop your own policies and processes to lead client engagements.”

Ultimately, the additional effort required to freelance makes some question if it’s worth it. Joe in Munich said: “Do whatever you can to avoid it…there is a lot of administration.”

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