Holidays and Celebrations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (Feiertage)

Glossary of all of the holidays and celebrations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, their names in German and English

Festivities in all of Germany, Austria and most of Switzerland

FeiertagDayCelebration
Neujahrstag 1st of JanuaryNew Year’s Day
Karfreitag Easter Sunday – 2 daysGood Friday
Ostersonntag First Sunday with a
full moon in the Spring
Easter, the Day of Resurrection
Ostermontag Easter Monday + 1 dayEaster, the Day of Resurrection
Tag der Arbeit 1st of MayLabor Day
Christi Himmelfahrt Easter Sunday + 39 daysThe Ascension
Pfingstmontag Easter Sunday + 50 daysWhitmonday
Weihnachtstag 25-26 of DecemberChristmas

“Heilig Abend”(litterally translated: The holy evening) is celebrated in all of Germany on December 24th. (The day the gifts are opened). The 25th is called “erster Weihnachtstag” (first Christmas day, and the 26th is called “zweiter Weihnachtstag” (second Christmas day).

Other Holidays in all of Germany

FeiertagDayCelebration
Tag der Deutschen Einheit 3rd of OctoberThe Day of German Unification

Other celebrations in all of Austria

FeiertagDayCelebration
Der Österreichische Nationalfeiertag 26th of OctoberAustrian National Holiday
Unbefleckte Empfängnis 8th of DecemberThe Immaculate Conception
Heiliger Abend 24th of DecemberChristmas Eve
Silvester 31st of DecemberNew Year’s Eve

Other celebrations in all of Switzerland

FeiertagDayCelebration
Schweizer Bundesfeiertag 1st of AugustSwiss National Holiday

Celebrations in some regions

FeiertagDayCelebration
Heilige Drei Könige 6th of JanuaryEpiphany
Gründonnerstag Easter Sunday – 3 daysHoly Thursday
Augsburger Friedensfest 8th of AugustAusburg Peace Festival
Mariä Himmelfahrt 15th of AugustAssumption
Buß- und Bettag First Wednesday before the 23rd of NovemberDay of Prayer and Repentance
Pfingstsonntag Easter Sunday + 49 daysWhitsunday
Fronleichnam Easter Sunday + 60 daysCorpus Christ
Johannistag 23rd of JuneSt. John’s Day
Reformationstag 31st of OctoberReformation Day
Allerheiligen 1st of NovemberAll Saint’s Day

Related topics: The date in German