🇩🇪 Germany - 2026
Complete overview of all public holidays to help you plan your vacation days efficiently.
In Germany, there are various types of holidays: religious, political, and calendar-based. These are further divided into fixed and movable holidays. Fixed holidays occur on the same date each year, while movable holidays, which are usually determined by the church year, are set based on the date of Easter.
In addition to nationwide holidays, there are also region-specific holidays, as well as non-statutory holidays.
Holidays 2026
Nationwide Holidays
| Date | Holiday | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 01.01.2026 | Neujahr | Friday |
| 02.04.2026 | Karfreitag | Friday |
| 05.04.2026 | Ostersonntag | Sunday |
| 05.04.2026 | Ostermontag | Monday |
| 01.05.2026 | Tag der Arbeit | Saturday |
| 13.05.2026 | Christi Himmelfahrt | Thursday |
| 23.05.2026 | Pfingstsonntag | Sunday |
| 24.05.2026 | Pfingstmontag | Monday |
| 03.10.2026 | Tag der Deutschen Einheit | Sunday |
| 25.12.2026 | 1. Weihnachtstag | Saturday |
| 26.12.2026 | 2. Weihnachtstag | Sunday |
Regional Holidays
| Date | Holiday | Day | Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06.01.2026 | Heilige Drei Könige | Wednesday | Baden-WürttembergBayernSachsen-Anhalt |
| 08.03.2026 | Internationaler Frauentag | Monday | BerlinMecklenburg-Vorpommern |
| 03.06.2026 | Fronleichnam | Thursday | Baden-WürttembergBayernHessenNordrhein-WestfalenRheinland-PfalzSaarland |
Non-Statutory Holidays
| Date | Holiday | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 14.02.2026 | Valentinstag | Sunday |
| 11.11.2026 | Martinstag | Thursday |
| 06.12.2026 | Nikolaus | Monday |
| 24.12.2026 | Heiligabend | Friday |
| 31.12.2026 | Silvester | Friday |
Legal Regulations for Holidays
Work Prohibition on Holidays
In Germany, there is a general prohibition of work on public holidays. According to the Working Hours Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz), employees may not be employed on Sundays and legally recognized public holidays. However, there are exceptions for certain sectors such as healthcare, hospitality, and emergency services.
Payment Regulations for Employees
If an employee must work on a public holiday due to one of the legal exceptions, they are entitled to compensatory time off within eight weeks.
For work on public holidays, employees are entitled to their regular pay plus holiday premium, which is typically 100% of the regular hourly wage, although this can vary based on collective agreements or employment contracts.
If a public holiday falls on a workday and the employee does not work due to the holiday, they still receive their regular pay (holiday pay) without having to use vacation days.
What Happens if an Employee Falls Ill?
If an employee falls ill on a public holiday, they are not entitled to a replacement holiday. Since they would have had the day off anyway due to the public holiday, the illness does not result in any additional entitlements.
Download 2026 Calendar with Holidays
Need a calendar for 2026 with all public holidays marked? Download our PDF calendar that you can print out.