Global South World - holidays https://www.globalsouthworld.com en-US Same country, different holidays: How Germany's regions celebrate https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/same-country-different-holidays-how-germany-s-regions-celebrate https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/same-country-different-holidays-how-germany-s-regions-celebrate?feed=holidays Thu, 31 Oct 2024 18:53:03 Z Germany may be one country, but its holidays are not the same everywhere.

Some holidays are celebrated only in certain states, each with its own unique story.

In the Protestant north, Reformation Day on October 31 honours Martin Luther’s role in the Reformation. It marks 1517 when he challenged the Catholic Church, which sparked a religious revolution. The holiday is marked in seven German states.

In the Catholic South, All Saints' Day on November 1 is a time to remember saints, martyrs, and loved ones who have passed away.

Families visit cemeteries, honour the dead, and reflect on a deep-rooted tradition. It is observed in five regions: Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland.

Meanwhile, states like Berlin and Hesse don’t observe either holiday, so they are excluded from these unique regional celebrations.

]]> Global South World The World in Maps The World in Maps The German states have different public holidays. The Protestant influenced north celebrates Reformation Day and the Catholic influenced south celebrates All Saints’ Day. Berlin and Hesse celebrate neither. (1)