Public holidays according to the Public Holidays Act (FTG) are
- New Year
- Apparition Day (January 6)
- Good Friday
- Easter Monday
- May 1st
- Ascension Day
- Whit Monday
- Corpus Christi
- All Saints' Day (November 1)
- Christmas Day and Boxing Day
- Day of German Unity
Publicly noticeable work that is likely to disturb the peace and quiet of the day is prohibited on Sundays and public holidays, unless otherwise stipulated by law. Statutory exceptions can be found in particular in the Industrial Code and other working time protection regulations.
The ban does not apply
- to the operation of postal services, railroads and other companies used for the commercial transportation of passengers, as well as auxiliary transport facilities, with the proviso that repair work on motor vehicles is only permitted if it is necessary to continue the journey,
- for work that cannot be postponed and that is necessary
- to prevent damage to health or property,
- to satisfy domestic or agricultural needs, in particular to supply the population with milk, for harvesting, including the processing of perishable foodstuffs,
- for light work in gardens carried out by the owners themselves or their relatives.
In addition, on Sundays and certain public holidays, the FTG prohibits activities in the vicinity of churches and other buildings used for religious services that are likely to disturb the service. The law also prohibits the holding of certain - mostly public - events on certain public holidays.
Public dance entertainment is prohibited
- from Maundy Thursday 6 p.m. to Holy Saturday 8 p.m.
- from All Saints' Day, if All Saints' Day falls on the weekdays
a) Monday to Friday, from 3 a.m. to midnight,
b) Saturday or Sunday, from 5 a.m. to midnight,
- on the General Day of Prayer and Repentance from 3 a.m. to midnight and
- on Memorial Day and Remembrance Day from 5 a.m. to midnight prohibited
Public sporting events are
- all day on Good Friday,
- on Remembrance Day until 1 p.m,
- on Easter Sunday, Whit Sunday, Corpus Christi and Christmas Day until 11.00 a.m. prohibited.
Exemption may be granted from the aforementioned prohibitions of the Public Holidays Act in special exceptional cases. However, according to the intention of the Public Holidays Act, such exemptions can only be granted in atypical cases.
