German Public Holidays: What Australians Need to Know

A complete guide to German public holidays for Australians — which days are national holidays, which are state-only, what is open and closed, and how it affects travel and life in Germany.

Why German Public Holidays Matter for Australians

Germany has more public holidays than Australia — and they are enforced more strictly. On a German public holiday, most shops, supermarkets, banks and offices are completely closed. This affects Australians both as tourists (planning around closures) and as residents or workers (understanding entitlements and cultural expectations).

The complication is that Germany's public holiday system operates on two levels: national holidays observed across all 16 states, and state-specific holidays that vary significantly by region. Bavaria (Munich) has the most public holidays in Germany — 13 per year. Some northern states like Hamburg and Berlin have as few as 9.

National Public Holidays (All 16 States)

Australian note: Germany observes both Christmas Day and Boxing Day as public holidays — meaning two consecutive days of complete shop closure. This surprises many Australians who are accustomed to at least some Boxing Day retail activity. Plan food and essentials purchases for 23-24 December.

State-Specific Holidays — The Complicated Part

In addition to national holidays, each German state observes additional state-specific public holidays. This creates significant variation across the country. An employee in Bavaria may have three additional public holidays compared to a colleague doing the same job in Berlin.

Key State-Specific Holidays

For Australians working in Germany, the state-specific holidays directly affect your working year and entitlements. An employment contract specifying public holidays in Bavaria will have more non-working days than the same contract in Berlin. This is worth considering when comparing job offers in different German cities.

What Is Actually Open on German Public Holidays

What Closes Completely

• All retail shops — supermarkets, clothing stores, pharmacies (except duty pharmacy), department stores
• Banks and post offices
• Most government offices
• Most businesses
• School and university classes

What Stays Open

• Restaurants, cafes and bars — public holidays are busy dining days as Germans go out when shops are closed
• Petrol stations — limited grocery range available
• Train station shops (Rewe to go, kiosks)
• Hotels and accommodation
• Duty pharmacy (Notdienstapotheke) — one pharmacy per area rotates being open for emergencies. Find the duty pharmacy at aponet.de or on signs posted in pharmacy windows
• Public transport — typically runs on a Sunday schedule
• Tourist attractions — many museums and major attractions open on public holidays

German Public Holiday Culture

Stillness Days (Stille Tage)

Some German public holidays — particularly Good Friday, All Saints' Day and Christmas Eve — are designated "stillness days" (Stille Tage or stille Feiertage) in many states. On these days, certain activities are legally restricted: public dancing, loud music, carnival events and sporting events with admission charges may be prohibited. The restrictions vary by state and are enforced differently in practice — Munich is stricter than Berlin — but Australians living in Germany should be aware that Good Friday in Bavaria is genuinely quiet in a way that has legal backing.

Bridge Days (Brückentage)

When a public holiday falls on a Thursday or Tuesday, many German employers grant the Friday or Monday as an additional day off — a bridge day (Brückentag) that creates a four-day weekend. German employees often use annual leave for bridge days strategically. Australians in German workplaces will encounter colleagues planning their leave around bridge day opportunities months in advance.

Public Holidays — Practical Impact for Australian Tourists

Planning Around Closures

The most important public holidays for Australian tourists to plan around are:

• Good Friday and Easter Monday: Everything closes for two consecutive days. Do not plan to do any shopping or banking during this period.
• Christmas Eve to 26 December: Three days of effectively complete shutdown. Grocery shops on 23 December are extremely busy — stock up in advance.
• 1 May: Labour Day demonstrations in Berlin and Hamburg can disrupt transport. The 1 May demonstrations in Berlin in particular can be large and occasionally confrontational — check local news before travelling.
• 3 October (Unity Day): Large public events in the host city (changes annually). Generally festive and positive rather than disruptive.

Public Holiday FAQs for Australians

How many public holidays does Germany have?

Nationally, Germany has 9 public holidays observed by all 16 states. Including state-specific holidays, the total ranges from 9 (Hamburg, Berlin) to 13 (Bavaria). By comparison, Australia has approximately 8–10 public holidays nationally depending on state, with some states having additional local holidays.

Do German employers have to give time off on public holidays?

Yes — public holidays are mandatory non-working days under German employment law. Employees required to work on public holidays (in healthcare, retail, transport and hospitality for example) are entitled to compensatory time off. Public holiday work does not automatically attract penalty rates in Germany the way it does in Australia — the compensation is a day off in lieu rather than additional pay.

Can shops open on Sunday in Germany?

Generally no — Sunday trading is restricted by law across Germany. However, there are exceptions: train station shops, airport shops, petrol stations and bakeries (for limited hours in the morning) can open on Sundays. Some states allow designated "shopping Sundays" (verkaufsoffene Sonntage) four times per year for retail, typically tied to local festivals or pre-Christmas shopping. Berlin has the most liberal Sunday trading rules of any German state.

Related Guides

• Working in Germany as an Australian
• German Travel Phrases
• German Christmas Markets Guide