Here's when school summer holidays start across Germany's 16 states
Children in the northern state of Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania went off on summer holidays on Friday. Here's a look at when the break starts in other states.
The coronavirus pandemic has hugely interrupted the school year across Germany and much of the world.
All schools and daycare centres (Kitas) for youngsters were closed in March for around one to two months.
Since the end of April, pupils have been getting back in the classroom, mostly on a part-time basis and with a mix of online distance learning.
When a coronavirus infection is detected, schools have closed in a bid to control any localised outbreaks.
However, now the summer break, which usually lasts about lasts about five to six weeks in the Bundesrepublik, is approaching.
Similar to the school system, holidays vary in Germany depending on the individual states. They operate on a staggered schedule so that the travel infrastructure is not overloaded.
After Friday, school is out for summer for youngsters in Mecklenburg- Western Pomerania – the first of Germany's 16 federal starts to begin the summer break (Sommerferien).
'Back to normal'
After the summer holidays end, the German governments says schools will get back to regular operation as far as possible (as long as the coronavirus situation remains stable) in a bid to restore normality to students' lives.
"Everyone agrees that we need regular schooling again," said North Rhine-Westphalia's state premier Armin Laschet following a meeting between state leaders and Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday June 17th.
It will be up to the schools themselves to decide on distancing rules, the president of the Conference of Education Ministers and Rhineland-Palatinate education minister Stefanie Hubig said.
In many schools across various federal states, teaching is already taking place again in class without distancing rules.
Here's a look at when school holidays begin and end this year, as well as 2021, to get them in your diary.
READ ALSO: What to know about the different types of schools as an expat parent
Baden-Württemberg
2020: 30.07. - 12.09.
2021: 29.07. - 11.09.
Bavaria
2020: 27.07. - 07.09.
2021: 30.07. - 13.09.
Berlin
2020: 25.06. - 07.08.
2021: 24.06. - 06.08.
Brandenburg
2020: 25.06. - 08.08.
2021: 24.06. - 07.08.
Bremen
2020: 16.07. - 26.08.
2021: 22.07. - 01.09.
Hamburg
2020: 25.06. - 05.08.
2021: 24.06. - 04.08.
Hesse
2020: 06.07. - 14.08.
2021: 19.07. - 27.08.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
2020: 22.06. - 01.08.
2021: 21.06. - 31.07.
Lower Saxony
2020: 16.07. - 26.08.
2021: 22.07. - 01.09.
North Rhine-Westphalia
2020: 29.06. - 11.08.
2021: 05.07. - 17.08.
Rhineland-Palatinate
2020: 06.07. - 14.08.
2021: 19.07. - 27.08.
Saarland
2020: 06.07. - 14.08.
2021: 19.07. - 27.08.
Saxony
2020: 20.07. - 28.08.
2021: 26.07. - 03.09.
Saxony-Anhalt
2020: 16.07. - 26.08.
2021: 22.07. - 01.09.
Schleswig-Holstein
2020: 29.06. - 08.08.
2021: 21.06. - 31.07.
Thuringia
2020: 20.07. - 29.08.
2021: 26.07. - 04.09.
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The coronavirus pandemic has hugely interrupted the school year across Germany and much of the world.
All schools and daycare centres (Kitas) for youngsters were closed in March for around one to two months.
Since the end of April, pupils have been getting back in the classroom, mostly on a part-time basis and with a mix of online distance learning.
When a coronavirus infection is detected, schools have closed in a bid to control any localised outbreaks.
However, now the summer break, which usually lasts about lasts about five to six weeks in the Bundesrepublik, is approaching.
Similar to the school system, holidays vary in Germany depending on the individual states. They operate on a staggered schedule so that the travel infrastructure is not overloaded.
After Friday, school is out for summer for youngsters in Mecklenburg- Western Pomerania – the first of Germany's 16 federal starts to begin the summer break (Sommerferien).
'Back to normal'
After the summer holidays end, the German governments says schools will get back to regular operation as far as possible (as long as the coronavirus situation remains stable) in a bid to restore normality to students' lives.
"Everyone agrees that we need regular schooling again," said North Rhine-Westphalia's state premier Armin Laschet following a meeting between state leaders and Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday June 17th.
It will be up to the schools themselves to decide on distancing rules, the president of the Conference of Education Ministers and Rhineland-Palatinate education minister Stefanie Hubig said.
In many schools across various federal states, teaching is already taking place again in class without distancing rules.
Here's a look at when school holidays begin and end this year, as well as 2021, to get them in your diary.
READ ALSO: What to know about the different types of schools as an expat parent
Baden-Württemberg
2020: 30.07. - 12.09.
2021: 29.07. - 11.09.
Bavaria
2020: 27.07. - 07.09.
2021: 30.07. - 13.09.
Berlin
2020: 25.06. - 07.08.
2021: 24.06. - 06.08.
Brandenburg
2020: 25.06. - 08.08.
2021: 24.06. - 07.08.
Bremen
2020: 16.07. - 26.08.
2021: 22.07. - 01.09.
Hamburg
2020: 25.06. - 05.08.
2021: 24.06. - 04.08.
Hesse
2020: 06.07. - 14.08.
2021: 19.07. - 27.08.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
2020: 22.06. - 01.08.
2021: 21.06. - 31.07.
Lower Saxony
2020: 16.07. - 26.08.
2021: 22.07. - 01.09.
North Rhine-Westphalia
2020: 29.06. - 11.08.
2021: 05.07. - 17.08.
Rhineland-Palatinate
2020: 06.07. - 14.08.
2021: 19.07. - 27.08.
Saarland
2020: 06.07. - 14.08.
2021: 19.07. - 27.08.
Saxony
2020: 20.07. - 28.08.
2021: 26.07. - 03.09.
Saxony-Anhalt
2020: 16.07. - 26.08.
2021: 22.07. - 01.09.
Schleswig-Holstein
2020: 29.06. - 08.08.
2021: 21.06. - 31.07.
Thuringia
2020: 20.07. - 29.08.
2021: 26.07. - 04.09.
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