National Holidays

[axissilverhand]

Hello!

I'm trying to get an idea of the German calendar in the sense of when the National holidays/festivals take place. Octoberfest is a famous one but can anyone tell me of Fasching, Pfingsten, etcetera? I understand most festivals will probably be regional, but I'd still like to hear of them!

Thanks much!

Comments

[breakingthrunow]

The OFFICIAL holidays:

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
6 Jan* Epiphany.
6 Apr Good Friday.
9 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
17 May Ascension.
28 May Whit Monday.
7 Jun* Corpus Christi.
15 Aug* Assumption.
3 Oct Day of German Unity.
31 Oct* Day of Reformation.
1 Nov* All Saints' Day.
21 Nov* Repentance Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
6 Jan* Epiphany.
21 Mar Good Friday.
24 Mar Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
1 May Ascension.
12 May Whit Monday.
22 May* Corpus Christi.
15 Aug* Assumption.
3 Oct Day of German Unity.
31 Oct* Day of Reformation.
1 Nov* All Saints’ Day.
19 Nov* Repentance Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

Note
*Epiphany, Corpus Christi, Assumption, Day of Reformation, All Saints’ Day and Repentance Day are not observed in all areas.

[briddi]

are not observed in all areas
Alas! *is from up north*

[breakingthrunow]

Do you even read these comments, zadik?

Note: *Epiphany, Corpus Christi, Assumption, Day of Reformation, All Saints’ Day and Repentance Day are not observed in all areas.

I'm the mod here and I notice that you pretty much talk against every single entry. It's a tad annoying at this point - so please read before you deny everything that's being said by others.

[metabloom]

in leipzig during pfingsten there is an international gothic/darkwave festival that takes over the town...

Männertag (fathers day) is funny in germany.
(especially in the smaller towns,
the men all get piss drunk and ride around on their bikes)

[metabloom]

just curious as to where in niedersachsen you are...

[germankitty]

You can also look up the various holidays here: Ewiger (Eternal) Kalender

Fasching/Karneval

[germankitty]

The official start is on November 11 each year, and it's nationwide, culminating in 6 days of complete madness the week before Lent starts. It's the season of fancy-dress parties (like Halloween, only more so), and is often referred to as "the year's 5th season". You get special songs, televised events like variety shows (singers, dance troops, bands, some sort of stand-up comedy) and sometimes even special foodstuffs

Re: Fasching/Karneval

[zadik]

Sorry, I disagree. The 11th of November is NOT nationwide! Only in southern West Germany

Re: Fasching/Karneval

[germankitty]

Really? That's new to me ... of course, living in NRW as I am, I'm mostly familiar with Karneval rather than Fasching. :) (And I hate both!)

Re: Fasching/Karneval

[zadik]

Both? *grin* Well, I know a few people who do. I'm mostly neutral. If there is a party I'm all for it, but I don't mind missing out on it.
I have to admit that the whole karneval season in the Southwest was a huge surprise for me when I first heard about it. A friend from Ulm was heavily enganged in the whole organisation of weekend stuff ... It was completely alien to me at that time. :)

One more!

[germankitty]

November 11 is also St. Martin's Day -- children everywhere go out after dark with lighted paper lanterns (often homemade) in memory of the legend of St. Martin, a Roman soldier who gave half of his cloak to a beggar he met on the road when he had nothing else to give.