When are Germany's state and national public holidays in 2023?

Let’s face it: 2022 was a pretty shabby year for public holidays. Many employees might have felt a little short-changed by holidays which fell on a weekend - including Christmas Day this Sunday. Unlike in the US or UK, these Feiertage simply fall by the wayside unless employers privately decide otherwise.

But they’re in luck in 2023: with the exception of New Year’s Day itself, which occurs on a Sunday, most state and national public holidays fall during the week, meaning employees can enjoy more time off without having to dip into their sacred supply of Urlaubstage (vacation days).

READ ALSO: Vacation days in Germany: What you need to know about your rights as an employee

For holidays which fall on a Tuesday or Thursday, employees can also follow along with the popular practice of taking Brückentage, or a Monday or Friday off, in order to enjoy a lengthy four-day weekend.

We lay out all of the public holidays for the coming year, and where they’re honoured. For those planning a year in advance, a la German style, January 1st, 2024 also falls on a Monday.

​​New Year’s Day (national): Sunday, January 1st

Three Kings Day (Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Saxony-Anhalt): Friday, January 6th

READ ALSO: Three Kings' Day: What you should know about Germany's public holiday in three states

International Women’s Day (Berlin): Wednesday, March 8th

Easter Friday (national): April 7th

Easter Monday (national): April 10th

Labour Day (national): Monday, May 1st

Ascension Day/Christi Himmelfahrt (national): Thursday, May 18th

Whit Monday (national): Monday, May 29th

Corpus Christi/Fronleichnam (Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony and Thuringia): June 8th

READ ALSO: Fronleichnam: What you should know about Germany's regional public holiday

Assumption Day/Mariä Himmelfahrt (Bavaria and Saarland): Tuesday, August 15th 

World Children's Day/Weltkindertag (Thuringia): Wednesday, November 20th

Day of German Unity (national): Tuesday, October 3rd

Reformation Day (Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania, Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia): Tuesday, October 31st 

All Saints Day (Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland): Wednesday, November 1st

Buß- und Bettag (Saxony): Wednesday, November 22nd

READ ALSO: Saxon public holiday: What's the history behind Buß- und Bettag?

Christmas Day (national): Monday, December 25th

Second Day of Christmas (national): Tuesday, December 26th