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Public holidays

Public holidays in Lower Saxony

Public holidays in Lower Saxony for 2026 and 2027: with weekdays, bridge days, and which days do not apply across the whole state.

Lower Saxony adds Reformation Day, a statutory holiday there since 2018.

2026

10 state-wide holidays in 2026

Public holidays in Lower Saxony 2026
DateWeekdayHolidayApplies
ThursdayNew Year's Daystate-wide
FridayGood Fridaystate-wide
MondayEaster Mondaystate-wide
FridayLabour Daystate-wide
ThursdayAscension Daystate-wide
MondayWhit Mondaystate-wide
SaturdayGerman Unity Daystate-wide
SaturdayReformation Daystate-wide
FridayChristmas Daystate-wide
SaturdayBoxing Daystate-wide

Bridge days 2026

These working days sit between a state-wide holiday and the weekend. One day of leave turns them into a long weekend, and they are where leave requests cluster.

  • , because of New Year's Day
  • , because of Ascension Day

Holidays on a weekend in 2026

These holidays fall on a Saturday or Sunday in 2026. German law grants no substitute day off for them.

  • German Unity Day
  • Reformation Day
  • Boxing Day

2027

10 state-wide holidays in 2027

Public holidays in Lower Saxony 2027
DateWeekdayHolidayApplies
FridayNew Year's Daystate-wide
FridayGood Fridaystate-wide
MondayEaster Mondaystate-wide
SaturdayLabour Daystate-wide
ThursdayAscension Daystate-wide
MondayWhit Mondaystate-wide
SundayGerman Unity Daystate-wide
SundayReformation Daystate-wide
SaturdayChristmas Daystate-wide
SundayBoxing Daystate-wide

Bridge days 2027

These working days sit between a state-wide holiday and the weekend. One day of leave turns them into a long weekend, and they are where leave requests cluster.

  • , because of Ascension Day

Holidays on a weekend in 2027

These holidays fall on a Saturday or Sunday in 2027. German law grants no substitute day off for them.

  • Labour Day
  • German Unity Day
  • Reformation Day
  • Christmas Day
  • Boxing Day

Source: Feiertagsgesetze der Länder · reviewed on

This information is provided without warranty and without any claim to completeness, and it is not legal advice. Individual holidays apply only in certain municipalities, and states can change dates at short notice. The respective state law is what binds.

Frequently asked questions

How many public holidays apply nationwide in Germany?

Nine days apply in every state: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, German Unity Day, and both Christmas holidays. Everything else is decided by the individual states, which is why a Berlin employee and a Munich employee can have three days' difference per year.

Is there a substitute day when a holiday falls on a weekend?

No. If a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no legal entitlement to a replacement day off. Some employers grant one voluntarily, but they are not obliged to.

Which state applies to an employee who works across state lines?

As a rule the place where the work is actually performed governs, not the location of the company headquarters. For remote work across state borders, a clear rule in the employment contract or a works agreement avoids disputes.

Why do some holidays apply only in certain municipalities?

Some state laws tie validity to the religious majority of a municipality or to a local tradition. Examples are Assumption Day in Bavaria, Corpus Christi in parts of Saxony and Thuringia, and the Augsburg Peace Festival in the city of Augsburg.

Can employees work on a public holiday?

Section 9 of the Working Hours Act (ArbZG) generally prohibits employment on public holidays. Section 10 lists exceptions for many sectors (care, hospitality, transport, emergency services), usually combined with an entitlement to a substitute rest day.

Manage absences without maintaining spreadsheets

Gemploy knows the holidays of every German state and factors them into leave requests and absence planning automatically.

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