Germany is a country where punctuality, scrupulousness and order are valued above all else. It is not surprising that German holidays are events, the preparation of which is taken extremely seriously. However, the celebrations are as fun as in any other country in the world. So, what dates are of particular importance for the inhabitants of the state?

German holidays: Oktoberfest in Munich

For more than two centuries, Oktoberfest has been celebrated annually in Munich, with which no one in the world can compare in terms of popularity. Like many other German holidays, this event lasts for several days. It is traditionally arranged in the first decade of October. According to statistics, the celebration annually attracts over 6 million connoisseurs of good beer, who flock to Munich from all over the world.

The venue for the celebration is Teresa Meadow, located in the heart of Munich. 14 huge tents are erected here, inside each of which there is a place for ten thousand people, as well as 15 small tents, the capacity of which can accommodate about a thousand people. Listing other German holidays, one cannot think of a busier event than this one. Waitresses scurry around the tents serving beer to guests, and the legendary pork sausages are also offered. Of course, the organizers of the event do not forget about the music.

in Stuttgart

Volksfest is the name of the famous harvest festival that takes place every year in Stuttgart. The event starts on September 23, lasts until October 9, competing with the Munich festival. It's hard to imagine German holidays without beer tasting, a drink is also offered in Stuttgart. However, the festival is different in that it provides a wide range of entertainment for the whole family. While parents pay tribute to Bavarian sausages and beer, children have fun riding the rides.

The Volksfest festival is extremely important for the Germans; these days, traditions tell us to thank God for a great harvest. Special church services are held. The festive procession looks very colorful and large-scale, thousands of residents and guests of the city follow the parade. Hundreds of magicians and artists perform at the fair, music is heard everywhere.

German Unity Day

Listing the German holidays and traditions associated with them, one cannot fail to mention the Day of German Unity. The celebration is dedicated to the unification of the country, which ended in 1990. The date of the event has remained unchanged since then - October 3, the holiday is official, celebrated in all corners of the state.

In terms of scale, this event can hardly be compared, for example, with the American one. There is no military parade, but the people of the country are happy to take part in mass celebrations and watch free concerts. Of course, the celebration ends with fireworks. Also on this day, parliamentary sessions are traditionally held.

Saint Martin's Day

When naming the most famous German holidays and the customs associated with them, one cannot forget St. Martin's Day. Many people in Germany mention this celebration among their favorites, it takes place on November 11th. There is even a beautiful legend related to this event, the main character of which is a Roman legionnaire who helped people out of trouble.

St. Martin's Day is adored not only by adults, but also by children. The guys run through the streets, lighting their way with lanterns and singing songs. At this time, their parents are engaged in a festive dinner. An obligatory guest on the festive table is considered without which it is impossible to imagine this event. Interestingly, St. Martin's Day is also respected in other countries: Austria, Switzerland.

love parade

The Germans are not at all as stiff as it seems to the inhabitants of other countries. The original German holidays can serve as proof of this. For example, every year a Love Parade is held in the country, an event is scheduled for July 19th. In honor of the celebration, women dress in revealing outfits, music is played everywhere.

Of course, the Love Parade does not pass without a foamy drink loved by almost all the inhabitants of the state, which literally flows like a river. Thousands of people join the festive procession, professional DJs are responsible for the musical accompaniment of the ceremony.

official celebrations

Easter is an event that cannot be forgotten when listing German holidays and weekends associated with them. The religious celebration, which lasts three days, has its own symbol - painted eggs, and the inhabitants of the country traditionally attend Sunday worship. Then adults and children congratulate relatives and friends, everyone exchanges gifts and songs.

For the New Year and Christmas, the Germans begin to prepare about a month in advance. In all corners of the state, they begin to work. The appearance of the streets is changing, which are filled with colored lanterns, ribbons, garlands. The celebration of the New Year is traditionally accompanied by dances and songs, and fireworks are not complete.

Other German holidays also deserve attention. In May, the inhabitants of the country celebrate the Day of Solidarity of Workers, the celebration is traditionally held on the first day of the month. Thousands of people armed with banners and flags take part in the rallies. Of course, songs are sung.

Religious holidays

Religious celebrations cannot be ignored when listing German holidays. The calendar shows that most of them fall in November. For example, the first day of this month, which is considered the day of the saints and the dead, is important for the Germans. Traditions tell November 1 to remember the people who left this world, to visit the graves of friends and relatives, to decorate them with flowers.

An important part of the holiday is the church service, during which the orchestra plays mourning music. After the end of the service, the clergyman sprinkles the graves with holy water.

festival of light

This event does not have a history that goes back centuries like many other German holidays, since it was first held in 2005. However, the Berlin Light Festival fell in love with the Germans, forever becoming one of the favorite celebrations of the inhabitants of Germany. Famous architectural monuments, including the Chancellor's Residence, the Bergamont Museum, the Berlin Cathedral and others, become light installations for two whole weeks. City streets sparkle thanks to lanterns and spotlights, which are innumerable.

Book Fair

The Frankfurt Book Fair is an event that every book lover considers it his duty to visit. It is arranged in October, publishing houses from many countries of the world (about a hundred) participate in the festival. Interestingly, this holiday has been celebrated for over 500 years, but its popularity remains consistently high.

Germany is the leader of European countries and is characterized by a high level of development of life, economy and industry. The Germans love order, punctuality and scrupulousness in almost everything. And for any holidays, and there are a lot of them in Germany, they treat them with all seriousness and thoroughness.

Holidays in Germany

Not all holidays are days off and are celebrated throughout the country. This is largely due to the state structure of the republic, which is characterized by federalism. The independence of each of the federal states plays an important role in this.

All national holidays have their own long-standing traditions and foundations, especially religious and pagan celebrations. Despite the fact that Germany is a highly developed state, it has managed to maintain its originality, measured and calm life.

Like any other country, the German Republic has both public and purely national holidays that are associated with some memorable date or historic day. Also in the country there are celebrations associated with Catholic beliefs. In addition, Germany celebrates some well-known holidays, such as:

1. New Year-1st of January.
2. Knowledge Day - September 1.
3. Workers' Day - May 1, etc.

Features of national holidays

Numerous concerts, festivals, fairs and festivals are held in Germany every year. If it is a public holiday, only cinemas, bakeries and cafes will be open. All traditions and holidays of Germany are closely connected with the culture of this country. Despite their seemingly calm and serious nature, the German people love to have fun. Although the main cultural life of Germany with a lot of museums and theaters is concentrated in big cities, the bright echoes of the holidays scatter in quiet and remote corners of the provinces.

Beer festival in Germany

Munich Oktoberfest is the most famous and popular beer festival on the planet. In 2010, he celebrated his 200th anniversary, the celebration is held from September 20 to October 4. This beer festival in Germany is visited annually by more than 6 million drink lovers from all over the globe. They come here to taste it and enjoy the unique taste. The famous beer from the best breweries in Munich is brewed only during this period of time in accordance with the law of 1487 on the purity of beer. The alcohol content of the drink must not exceed 6.8%. The festival has only been canceled a few times since its inception, and for good reason:

1. cholera epidemic.
2. Prussian-Austrian war.
3. Franco-Prussian War.
4. First and Second World Wars.
5. Hyperinflation in Germany in 1923-24.

The beer festival is held on the Theresa Meadow in the center of Munich. 14 large tents are built on it, with a capacity of 10,000 people and 15 small ones, which can accommodate about 1,000 people. Inside the tents, life is seething: waitresses serve 10 mugs of beer at a time, festival guests enjoy a foamy drink and devour the famous Munich pork sausages and fried chicken. Beer flows like a river to the incessant sounds of music. There are also many other entertainments at the festival: carousels, roller coasters, Ferris wheel. In addition to beer tasting, you can just take a walk in the park, make new friends, buy souvenirs, visit some attraction or a flea circus.

harvest festival

The harvest festival Volksfest in Stuttgart is celebrated from 23 September to 9 October. It is the main competitor of the Bavarian festival. Like all beer festivals in Germany, Volksfest is famous for the amount of beer drunk. This festival is in many ways similar to the beer festival in Munich, but its main feature is that it is family-oriented.

The holiday is rooted in the distant past. On this day, people rejoice at the good harvest of vegetables, fruits, berries, grains, thank God for his gifts. Churches hold special services dedicated to the holiday, while the buildings are decorated with wreaths of wheat and the fruits of the new harvest. All vegetables and fruits are consecrated and laid out in front of the altar.

German Unity Day

It is celebrated on October 3rd. It is a national holiday that has been celebrated on the day of the successful unification of West and East Germany since October 1990. This day was proclaimed official holiday Germany. And the Independence Day of Germany, which was celebrated on June 17, was abolished.

Many national holidays in Germany are characterized by the fact that rallies and parliamentary meetings are held on this day in the lands and city halls. Members of the upper house of the German parliament, as well as various politicians and public figures, take an active part in this. Concerts and festivities are held in the cities, and in the evening, fireworks await everyone.

Holidays in Germany in October

More than 70 well-known historical and architectural monuments of the city take part in the grandiose festival of light in Berlin, these are:

1. The famous Berlin Cathedral.
2. Bergamont Museum.
3. Chancellor's residence.
4. TV tower and others.

All these buildings are turned into light installations for two weeks. The festival of light has existed not so long ago - since 2005, but has already gained worldwide popularity. Like other holidays in Germany, it attracts a large number of tourists from all over the globe.

Berlin during the festival looks like a fairy tale world with millions of colorful lights that decorate the buildings. The streets of the city at night are illuminated by searchlights and lanterns. Residents and guests of Berlin enjoy watching light shows that are projected on the walls of buildings. So that tourists can view all the light programs, there are excursion routes - cycling, bus, walking and even boat. The festival in Berlin is rich in its cultural program. Guests and residents of the city are presented exhibitions of photographs depicting the city at night.

What other holidays are there in Germany in October? cherished dream and main holiday For every book lover, this is the Frankfurt Book Fair. This festival presents publications from more than 100 countries - these are books, magazines, newspapers, comics, various printed products. It also does not do without the production of multimedia literature. The book forum is about 500 years old.

The Germans love to have fun and try not to miss a single celebration or holiday event. They also honor national holidays adopted from Europeans. With honors and with all seriousness, the Germans treat those days when it is necessary to commemorate the dead. The Germans also celebrate Halloween - October 31 - an international gathering of evil spirits. In America, it is celebrated by dressing up as witches and ghouls and carving a head out of a pumpkin. The German youth are also having fun.

Germany in November

Basically, all holidays in Germany in November are Catholic festivities. November 1 is the day of all martyrs, saints and the departed. On this day, Catholics visit the graves of deceased relatives and friends. The Germans decorate them and light lamps. First, all relatives gather in the house of older family members. Then, after dinner, they all go to the cemetery together, where flowers are laid at the graves and candles are lit. The pastor starts the church service, he prays and reads sermons, the orchestra plays mourning music. After the end of the service, the pastor walks around the cemetery and sprinkles the graves with holy water. In some southern states of Germany, November 1 is a day off, on this day it is forbidden to talk loudly and listen to music. Basically, all holidays in Germany in November are Catholic and religious festivities.

Saint Martin's Day is celebrated on November 11th. This day is also considered the day of the harvest, it is especially loved by children. It is on November 11 that a significant procession takes place with lit lanterns and torches. Long before the holiday, children prepare paper lanterns with their own hands, where candles will then be inserted. According to legend, the young soldier Martin warmed a freezing beggar with his cloak. Subsequently, fellow villagers looked for him with torches and lanterns in order to thank him for his good deed.

Official celebrations in Germany

All public holidays in Germany are common to all states. And they are all public holidays. And the New Year holidays in Germany are celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1.

Easter is the most important religious celebration. The holiday includes Good Friday, Easter and the following Monday. Despite the fact that religion is officially separated from the state in Germany, all these three days are days off. The symbol of German Easter, like any other, are colored eggs. On Sunday morning, all residents go to the temple for worship, and then young people with children go around their acquaintances and give them congratulations, songs, egg baskets, etc.

May 1 - Workers' Solidarity Day. On this holiday, as in many countries, numerous demonstrations and rallies are held in Germany. People of various professions come out with flags, banners, march through the streets of the city and shout out various slogans and sing songs.

Christmas fun and New Year celebrations

December 5 and 26 are officially public holidays throughout the country. On this day, services are held in churches, people give each other their attention and gifts. Weekends are usually spent at home, near a decorated Christmas tree and with loved ones. Spruce is usually dressed up in early December, and harvested on January 2-3. A month before the start of the Christmas holidays in Germany, fairs open in all cities of the country. The streets are decorated with garlands, colorful lanterns and balls, ribbons. During the Christmas sales, a large number of gifts and decorations, delicious food, booze and costumes are bought. New Year's Eve is celebrated, as elsewhere in Europe, with fireworks, songs, and dances.

love parade

Despite their stiffness and love of order, there are very unusual holidays in Germany, for example, a love parade. This festival takes place annually in various cities of the German state on July 19th. It is accompanied by loud music, very revealing outfits. You can not ignore the national drink - beer, it flows like a river. This holiday is like a real carnival, a nationwide procession that lasts the whole day under the incessant musical accompaniment of the best DJs.

Germany is rich in its holidays. Most of the tourists visiting the country these days not only join the national culture, but also discover a lot of interesting things. After all, there will be a great many impressions from visiting Germany.

GERMAN HOLIDAY CALENDAR 2017

In Germany, there are quite a large number of various holidays, however, a distinctive feature is that not all of them are celebrated nationwide. This is due to the historically established federalism in the state structure and the high degree of independence of each of the federal lands.

Almost all holidays have their own well-established traditions and, in many cases, when they are celebrated in a country or in a particular land, a day off is declared.

Many holidays are based on religious dates, some of the holidays are based on historical events.

The fact that the New Year in Germany is celebrated from December 31 to January 1, the Germans are grateful to Pope Gregor XIII and his calendar, which is called the Gregorian and counts from 1582. New Year's holiday in Germany is called Silvester (Sylvester). True, not every German is familiar with this saint, whose life and work were in no way connected with the New Year and the calendar, just the last day of the outgoing year, December 31 - the date of his death and the day of his commemoration.

“What are you doing on New Year's Eve?” - such a question can not be asked in Germany. Germans don't sit at home on New Year's Eve. On the eve of the meeting, acquaintances, colleagues and friends wish each other "a good glide into the new year." Parties, concerts, discos, restaurants are open until the morning and are waiting for guests. On this night it is difficult to feel lonely, because with the first stroke of the clock, people go out into the street, and champagne corks, rockets, firecrackers fly into the sky, fireworks begin in honor of the New Year. One of the most fantastic holidays in its scope takes place in Berlin: the length of the New Year's street party is up to 2 kilometers, and the multi-colored show in the night sky lasts more than an hour.

The main attribute of the holiday is spruce. The ancient Germans had spruce sacred tree. They believed that the spirit of the forests, the protector of nature, lives in its needles.

By the New Year in Germany, houses are decorated with multi-colored garlands, wreaths of needles and figures of Santa Claus, and as soon as the clock starts to strike midnight, people of all ages climb chairs, tables, armchairs and, with the last blow, together, with joyful greetings, “jump” in the New Year. After that, the celebration moves to the street, where it takes on a gigantic scale: at this time, thousands of families leave their homes to congratulate each other, light up the sky with fireworks and, of course, drink champagne. The custom of celebrating the coming year with fireworks also came from antiquity. Shooting from guns and cannons, people scared away evil spirits.

Residents of some regions of the country shot in the predawn twilight of the first day of the New Year in the gardens so that the trees would bring a rich harvest this year. It was desirable not to hit the tree itself.

In Westphalia, the villagers gathered at the blacksmith near his anvil on New Year's Eve to spend the outgoing year under rhythmic beats.

In the north of Germany, there was a different tradition: on the first day of the new year, children with songs and music went around the houses, receiving sweets and small coins from the inhabitants.

When raising a glass of champagne, the Germans say: "Prosit Neujahr" or "Prost Neujahr". The word "Prost" comes from Latin and translates as "it can succeed."

And, of course, good luck in the new year is simply guaranteed if fish dishes are on your table on the first day of the new year. Carp is especially popular in Germany. There are many skillful recipes for its preparation. And a couple of large circles of his scales are advised to be carried in a wallet - this brings wealth.

Theophany (Epiphany) is a traditional Christian holiday celebrated by the Germans on January 6th. As a rule, it is of particular importance in the lands of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Saxony-Anhalt. Catholics also know this day as "Three Kings Day" (Dreikonigstag). It is sometimes referred to as "Big New Year" by Protestants.

The celebration of "Epiphany" (translated as "apparitions") is based on a biblical story from the New Testament. This refers to the story of the journey of the three Magi Kings - Caspar (Caspar), Melchior (Melchior) and Balthasar (Balthasar) - from the Middle East behind the star of Bethlehem, indicated by an angelic choir. Finding the baby Jesus lying in the manger, the wise men bowed to him and presented rich gifts: gold, frankincense and fragrant resin - myrrh. In general, in the Ancient East, the Magi were called wise people who were prescribed knowledge of the hidden forces of nature, communication with the Gods and the possession of supernatural power. It was said that the three sorcerer kings could prevent the blows of fate and take away all evil from a person, his house and livestock.

The celebration of the Epiphany consists in attending a solemn mass in the church and a family dinner after midnight by the fireplace. The meal should be as rich and plentiful as possible. Dishes, as a rule, are the same as those prepared for the New Year and Christmas holidays. This evening, boys dressed in white robes with crowns on their heads and a long pole topped with a star go from house to house with songs and bless their masters. This is called the "Procession of the Three Kings". The face of one of them can be smeared with soot - he depicts the sorcerer Melchior.

According to custom, the owner writes over the door of the house the initial Latin letters of the names of the three Magi Kings: “C, M, B” (Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar), indicates the year and draws a cross. It means, "God bless this house." Such an inscription should protect the house and its inhabitants from misfortune.

It is believed that the day after the Day of the Three Kings has increased, and the night has receded. On this day, the Christmas tree is lit for the last time, as it completes the cycle of Christmas holidays. Epiphany is celebrated not only in Germany, but also in some Swiss cities (Zurich, Bern, Lausanne, Glarus, Zug and others).

On January 27, 1945, the prisoners of the Auschwitz concentration camp were released, where the Nazis killed more than one and a half million Jews and representatives of other national minorities.

On this day, mourning ceremonies are held throughout the country. On the territory of the former Buchenwald concentration camp, former prisoners and official representatives of the authorities lay wreaths at the memorial plaque, which constantly maintains the temperature of the human body - about 37 degrees.

A special meeting of the Bundestag is dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust. According to Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse, the phenomenon of the Holocaust can never be fully comprehended. It still remains unclear why the majority of Germans showed incredible human callousness during Nazism. "Those who had the courage to protest were in the minority," Tirze said.

The Spanish writer, former Minister of Culture of the country and a prisoner of Buchenwald, Jorge Semprun, said that "the regret of the Germans about their own history is the basis of a new national identity and contributes to the strengthening of the role of Germany in the process of European unification."

Samba in Bremen The Bremer Karneval is Germany's largest musical samba carnival, with vibrant performances and fiery music from this energetic Brazilian dance. Samba dancers from all over Germany come to take part in the street carnival, and thousands of tourists come to see this bright holiday.

The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen is an ancient and beautiful city in Germany, where there are many historical monuments, museums, rich city life, but its highlight is the samba carnival, which traditionally takes place every year in February for two days.

Samba is a Brazilian dance that appeared in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, but gained wide popularity only after the Second World War. Samba music has a characteristic rhythm created by drums and maracas. Today, this rhythmic, incendiary Brazilian dance has entered not only the program of modern ballroom dancing, but also into the daily life of all dance lovers.

The history of the Bremen Carnival dates back more than a quarter of a century. It originated in 1985, when enthusiasts of the local dance school - the samba club - decided to organize a celebration of Brazilian music and dance in the city. Fans of incendiary samba held their own street festival, which in a few years won the love of the townspeople and was so loved by everyone that they decided to organize it annually and already with the support of the Bremen authorities.

Within a few years, this Brazilian party quickly turned into a real carnival, and the sounds of samba never leave it. Every year the number of participants is constantly growing - these are dancers from newly emerging samba clubs, percussion and brass bands, and theater groups, and just those who wish - from Bremen, other regions of Germany and even from neighboring countries.

Preparation for the festival begins in advance - exactly on November 11 at 11:11 am. This is a kind of Opening of the starting action of the Bremen Carnival. On this day, carnival communities discuss future program festival, the number of participants and performances, costumes, etc. Just before the carnival in the city, many shops sell carnival costumes, jewelry and makeup for everyone. Special "guilds" and "guards" of jesters rehearse songs, write jokes and come up with costumes.

The carnival itself starts on Friday. It begins with a children's costume procession in the city center, performances by young musicians and dancers. Then the adults take over. For them, from morning until late at night, samba sounds, and dance floors work, and in the evening and at night, competitions and performances of samba groups take place in several open areas of the city.

The next day, there is a big street parade with giant puppets, colorful costumes, platforms on which fantastic decorations are erected - the so-called "carnival of animals", then drumming competitions. The evening program consists of dance parties in clubs and outdoors, and at night there are incredible costume balls. All this action ends with incendiary dances to Brazilian music and parties in restaurants and bars. Often the fun spills out onto the streets and turns into spontaneous processions of mummers.

The Germans know how not only to have fun, but also to treat nicely. Traditionally, several types of beer, wine, as well as sausages, baked meat, and cabbage are served at the festival.

Every year the theme of the carnival changes, but the energetic rhythms of samba and the bright colors of the festival always remain.

In February, in the Catholic regions of Germany, a carnival takes place - Fastnacht or Fasching. Carnivals held in Munich and Cologne are known all over the world.

There are handwritten records of the celebration of the carnival in Munich as early as 1295. After a boring winter, when almost no work is possible, why not arrange a merry holiday for yourself before the harsh Lent begins, and then the hard summer worries.

Modern people also need a little break from worries. Therefore, Munich, the center of culture, science and politics, for a while turns into a place of entertainment and jokes.

Preparing for the carnival, like everything in Germany, begins ahead of time, back in November. On November 11 at 11:11 am, the first meetings of carnival activists are held throughout the country, and the beginning of the 5th season - carnival - is officially announced. On this day, for the first time, you can meet people in carnival costumes on the streets. Carnival week begins with a church service on Thursday morning (Weiberfastnacht) - until 12 noon - and ends with the same on Wednesday afternoon. The beginning of the carnival (Weiberfastnacht) is celebrated only by women. They dress up as witches, fairies, devils. Men, having gone into a restaurant that day, run the risk of leaving without clothes - this is how women who are amused in earnest can joke.

The main event of the holiday is considered Rosenmontag (in translation - furious magnificent Monday) - a carnival procession. The procession is reminiscent of a demonstration: automobile traffic is blocked and dressed-up clowns, princesses, kings, barons, various orchestras, girls, despite the weather, dressed in short carnival dresses. Everyone sings, shouts greetings, throws confetti and sweets into the crowd of spectators. The procession ends on one of the large squares of the city with greetings from the participants and a concert.

The next day, Tuesday, children dress up in carnival costumes, and in the morning they come to school dressed up. Immediately after the lessons they will go home (modern little carnival people go shopping), where they are already waiting with sweets and small souvenirs. On this day, donuts with Berliner marmalade are sold in shops and bakeries, among which you can meet “happy” with mustard or a coin, whoever is lucky.

The holiday ends on Ash Wednesday with a church service: "Repent and believe in the gospel." And Fastnacht begins - a strict fast, which will end in 40-45 days with Easter.

Holy Week (Karwoche) begins on Palm Sunday (Palmsonntag) and ends on Maundy Thursday (Grundonnerstag), Good Friday (Karfreitag) and Holy Saturday (Karsamstag), thus completing the 40-day Great Lent (Passionszeit).

Good Friday (Karfreitag) is a sign of sadness and grief, it personifies the death of Jesus. This church holiday is brought to the rank of the state. Its name comes from the old German word "kara, chara" - "sorrow, sadness, mourning, lamentations." Catholic Good Friday is celebrated on the eve of Easter Sunday.

For Protestant Christians, the day of Jesus' death is the deliverance of people from sins. This is the highest peak church year, the most important holiday of the year.

In Catholic churches, the service does not take place, as well as the next day, on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter). Instead, at 3 pm - the hour of Christ's death - the faithful gather together to pray. There is a service dedicated to Jesus.

On the last 3 days of Holy Week, especially on Friday, it is not customary in Germany to visit and have fun. It is allowed to spend time with the family, be sure to visit the church. A traditional dish on Friday is warm cross buns (“hot cross buns”). Christians eat fish instead of meat.

Easter (Ostern) or the Resurrection of Christ, the Germans, like other Christians, celebrate on Sunday after the first spring full moon - not earlier than March 22, not later than April 25. In the modern world, the Germans celebrate Easter for two days: Easter Sunday and the next day - Easter Monday. Both days are public holidays.

Initially, the ancient Germans celebrated the spring equinox on this day and praised the goddess of spring and fertility, Ostara, from whose name the name of the holiday came. The Christian Church tolerated this pagan custom, as a result of which it combined this feast with the Resurrection of Christ.

The egg (Osterneier), which previously had the meaning of life and fertility, in Christianity has become a symbol of new life and the new covenant. In Germany, eggs began to be consecrated around the 4th century, and even then they were painted in different colors (mostly red).

Another symbol of German Easter - Easter Bunny(Osterhase). It is also borrowed from ancient Germanic cults and, according to folk beliefs, lays festive eggs (it is believed that ordinary chickens cannot carry them). On the eve of the feast of the Resurrection of Christ, the hare hides from the children in the grass, in the garden, in the forest Easter eggs, which children eagerly seek for the pleasure of their parents during the holidays. This is a very interesting and funny German Easter custom, reminiscent of the game "12 notes".

However, only the hare was not always engaged in this important business (dyeing eggs and hiding them). Back in the 19th century, in some German lands, these features of the hare were completely unknown to anyone. Until the 16th century, animals of the most different types. In some regions they were "hidden" by foxes and roosters, in others - by storks, cuckoos, cranes and capercaillie.

In the Middle Ages, the Easter Bunny was persecuted, as it was considered a symbol of lust (hares have a large offspring in spring). It was revered at one time only by the Protestant church. Now the Easter Bunny is a favorite of all children. It is very popular in Germany and other German-speaking countries. On the eve of Easter, it can be found everywhere: on curtains and towels, on doors and windows; from chocolate and familiar soft toys to wooden, ceramic and even wax. There are no countless fantasies about hares.

And another important element of Easter is a wreath that characterizes the awakening of nature, the rebirth of a new life. An Easter wreath in Germany is hung on the front doors or windows, or at the same time. Decorated with flowers, blossoming branches. On this day, it is customary to sanctify only blossoming branches in the church. They are decorated with sweets (especially chocolate), fruits, ribbons and presented to children. Consecrated branches are attached to the head of the bed, at crucifixes, and hearths of fireplaces. Dried branches are stored and used as amulets during bad weather, thunderstorms, and diseases.

Easter Monday (Ostermontag) in Germany is the day of visits. On this day, it is customary to bring gifts to relatives and friends.

Picking up an Easter gift is not difficult at all. The symbolism of the holiday goes on sale in a wide variety of options long before its onset. Although it is worth saying that things made and decorated with one's own hands are most valued.

On Easter they organize games in the family circle, an indispensable attribute of which is an egg.

At present, the holiday is becoming not so much a church holiday, but rather a nationwide one. Greetings on this day invariably continue to sound the same as in the old days: "Frohe Ostern!" (Happy Easter!) or "Ein frohes Osterfest!" (Happy Easter!).

Easter Monday in Germany is a national holiday and a day off.

Book Day takes place in Germany every year on May 10th. This date was not chosen by chance - it reminds millions of people around the world of the true face of fascism. It was on May 10, 1933 in Berlin and some other German cities that a barbaric act of burning books objectionable to the Nazi regime took place. This action was planned in the bowels of the German Propaganda Ministry as early as February 1933. Its authorship is attributed to the Germanist philologist, Dr. Goebbels, shortly before that, appointed minister of the department named above. The public burning of books was aimed, firstly, at intimidating the “average person”, who was accustomed to respecting the printed word, and secondly, at attracting young people to the side of the National Socialists. It gave young people the opportunity to feel the radicalism of the new government, as well as the fact that the new government has high hopes for it. It was students who were assigned the main role in the upcoming inquisition of books.

Public actions of book burning took place in many, mostly university, cities of the country: Bonn, Frankfurt am Main, Munich. Teachers and rectors of universities were required to attend the "bonfire festival".

Oscar Maria Graf, a famous German writer, did not find his name on the list of burned books. However, this did not please him at all. “All my life I have striven to write the truth!” he turned to the authorities. “Why don't you burn my books too? Did I write badly?

20,000 books were set on fire in Berlin alone. Basically, books by Jewish authors, as well as writings of a Marxist and pacifist nature. The works of Albert Einstein, Karl Marx, the writings of Heinrich and Thomas Mann, Stefan Zweig, Erich Kestner, Sigmund Freud and others.

Goebbels' action brought the expected effect. Revolutionary enthusiasm and radicalism, conflict of generations and ambitions of young scientists - everything was skillfully used to attract young people to the side of the National Socialists. German students in the early 1930s had the most exhilarating university career in German history. Now the youth had only to organize. The Nazi regime coped with this task very soon. The “Bonfire Festival” served as the starting point for the introduction of total censorship.

Now the events of the 1930s in Germany seem terrible and incredible to us. And yet you should never forget about them in order to prevent the repetition of the "bonfire" in the future. To do this, on the modern Bebelplatz square, where books were once burned, there is one of the most striking monuments in Germany - the "Versunkene Bibliothek" ("The Drowned Library"). Its author is the Israeli architect Micha Ullmann, whose parents left Germany in 1933.

In the center of the square, under a thick square of glass, is a white room with empty bookshelves. A magical glow spreading from under the glass attracts passers-by. The empty space underground conveys the idea of ​​loss. And next to the glass plate is a small explanatory sign: "In this square on May 10, 1933, Nazi students burned books."

Mother's Day in Germany is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.

The history of the German holiday can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century. Mother's Day has been celebrated since 1923 at the initiative of the Union of German Florists, who wanted to honor the deeds of German mothers during the First World War. It has been celebrated as a national holiday since 1933. The idea of ​​the holiday came to Europe from the United States, where in 1914 Mother's Day was declared an official holiday. Its analogue can be found in the English chronicle of the 17th century.

The first Mother's Day in Germany fell on May 13, 1923. But the Nazis officially introduced it only in 1933 in order to promote the Third Reich. On this day, German mothers who fulfilled their duty to the fatherland, or rather presented the country with new Aryans for the Fuhrer, were given honorary crosses (Ehrenkreuz der Deutschen Mutter). With the fall of the Third Reich and the division of Germany into East and West, the attitude towards the holiday changed. In the GDR, it was customary to remember women exclusively on March 8, and ignore Mother's Day as a holiday of enemy ideology. And in the west of the country, it was more popular, and from 1949 to the present, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May.

In Germany, the “holiday of mothers” is one of the most touching. On this holiday, it is customary for the whole family to gather at home. On this day, mothers are given flowers, small souvenirs, pleasant things, unexpected surprises and hot kisses. In addition to flowers, it is customary to give handmade gifts - crafts, drawings. Children in schools and kindergartens prepare them in advance and even compose poems. Older children can please their mothers with a more expensive gift, especially since on the eve of the holiday, many stores offer all kinds of promotions and special offers.

Another gift to mothers in Germany is the tradition of freeing them from any work on this day. Although the main gift is attention. Adult children visit their parents' house and thereby tell them: "We have not forgotten you and we will be grateful to you for everything."

The Dixieland Festival in Dresden is international festival jazz and blues music, the oldest jazz festival in Europe and the second largest Dixieland festival in the world. It has been held annually since 1971, in mid-May and lasts a week.

Dresden is an old German city with a rich history and architectural heritage. But there are other attractions in the capital of Saxony that are not related to the wonders of architecture and art, namely, one of the most popular jazz festivals in Germany, Dixieland, which attracts professional performers and connoisseurs of this musical direction from all over the world.

More than 500 thousand fans of hot rhythms and more than 350 eminent musicians from more than 10 countries of the world gather for the festival every year. AT different years Jazz stars such as The Jackson Singers, Blue Wonder Jazzband, Cynthia Sayer & Hot Jazz Group, Mart Rodger's Manchester Jazz, Blue Wonder Jazzband, Pascal von Wroblewski, Steve Clayton, Dixieland Messengers and other groups and performers demonstrated their skills here.

During the festival days, more than 60 concerts take place at two dozen stage venues in the city, as well as many impromptu performances at various venues - in concert halls and on the streets, in cafes and bars, in parks and squares, on ships and even in the zoo.

Traditionally, this colorful event starts on the central square of Dresden with a performance by young jazz players from kindergartens and primary school students in Dresden. Then adult performers demonstrate their skills. All this is accompanied by the applause of thousands of enthusiastic spectators.

Every year, Dixieland presents fans with an exquisite musical program. In addition to performances by leading jazzmen, seminars, thematic musical exhibitions and sales will be held within the framework of the festival. The rich program of the festival also includes children's and family concerts, fireworks and mini-parades. The whole city sings and dances to incendiary music. Traditionally, some of the performances are free to the public.

The final chord of Dixieland is the general finale and a large parade of ensembles-participants, which have been closing the festival for several years and are especially popular items in the jazz festival program.

The Dresden Dixieland Festival is a joyful spring festival that welcomes all the citizens and guests of the Saxon capital, and where musicians and listeners miraculously unite through the mesmerizing rhythms of jazz and blues. And every year more and more fans of this musical genre come to the festival, both young people and older people.

The holiday is designed to encourage good fathers who are actively involved in the lives of their children, as well as to popularize the role of men in the educational process and social adaptation of the child.

It began to be celebrated in the 19th century, in Berlin. Initially, it was a ceremony of initiation of young men into men. Unlike "Mother's Day", which is held every second Sunday in May, this holiday is given a working day of the week.

Legislatively, Father's Day was introduced in the country in 1936.

On Father's Day for dinner, the male population of Germany gathers in large companies and goes to rest in nature. Hiking and cycling (excursions) are the most popular, you can also sit in an open-air bar with a glass of beer. However, as equality between men and women strengthens, the custom is gradually being transformed into family outdoor recreation.

The Jazz Rally festival in Düsseldorf is 80 concerts on 30 stages, 500 bands and performers, which for three days turn the tranquil Rhenish metropolis into a city of music. The festival has been held since 1993: every different days at the end of May - June.

Jazz Rally stands out from other music festivals that take place in European cities every summer due to its scale. The organizer of the festival, Destination Duesseldorf, declares that the festival of music in last years visited by up to 250 thousand spectators. For Düsseldorf, whose entire population does not exceed 600 thousand people, these are very serious figures.

Of course, not a single concert venue is able to accommodate such a number of lovers of good music, so the performances of creative teams are spread over 30 stages located in different parts of the city. For example, four sites operate at the Düsseldorf airport, four at the river port, and the rest are located within the Altstadt, the historic center of the city.

For the most part, you can easily walk from one stage to another. In addition, every guest who has bought a universal pass for all concerts (the so-called “jazz button”) can move around the city free of charge for three days on any type of public transport except taxi. By the way, the cost of the "jazz button" is quite small - within 25-30 euros.

The great feast of the Ascension of Christ (Christi Himmelfahrt) always falls on Thursday, the 40th day after Easter, 9 days before the Day of the Holy Spirit. It symbolizes the ascension of Christ to heaven to God the Father and completes the salvation of Christ after death and his rebirth.

The Feast of the Ascension, together with the Trinity, completes the Easter circle (Easter time).

Many churches, including in Germany, use this day to hold worship outside the walls of the Lord's house, because God belongs to the world. At the end of the open-air service, doves (the German symbol for this holiday) are released into the sky and watched until they disappear. This is the personification of the ascension of Jesus into the world to his Father.

On Ascension morning, water and plants acquire healing power, so early in the morning, the tradition is still alive in German villages, collecting herbs. Thyme (Thumian) and licorice (Sussholz) are highly respected. Thus, on this day, stocks of herbal tea are usually made for the whole year (herbal tea among the Germans is the most popular drink after ground coffee. It helps against many diseases, first of all, from eye diseases and colds).

Also in the villages of Germany, detours of the fields are made with a prayer for fertility.

Bad sign in Ascension - rain, especially a thunderstorm.

3 June Hamburg International Short Film Festival

The Short Film Festival takes place in Hamburg every year at the end of May - beginning of June. This tradition began in 1985, when the first festival took place, then bearing the laconic name “NoBudget”, which means “Without a budget” in Russian. Today, the Hamburg Short Film Festival is one of the most significant world events in the film industry.

The competition program of the festival includes several nominations. The International Films section evaluates cinematic works created by creative teams from around the world. Some of them are filmed with quite a lot of equipment, so their budgets can not be called modest. Others, on the contrary, cost their authors inexpensively - if we talk about finances - but took a huge amount of time.

Another thing is the section "Low-budget films". Only those works, the cost of which is relatively low, are presented here. In the section "German Films" you can see new short films from Germany, most of which were created by film school students and amateurs. And since 1998, films shot in Hamburg have been shown in a separate section called “Hamburg Films”. The shortest films are the participants of the section "Keep within three minutes".

In 1998, the festival had " younger brother” is the festival of children's short films “Mo & Friese”, which is also held in Hamburg in June. The audience of these films is children from four to 14 years old, but viewers of all ages usually visit the screenings. In addition, as part of the children's festival, workshops are organized where children learn how to make their own films.

The Day of the Holy Spirit is celebrated on the 50th day of Easter in memory of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and ends the Easter time. Holy Spirit Day in Germany is celebrated for two days. This is a state holiday fixed at the federal level.

On this day, when all the disciples of Jesus were in the same house, suddenly there was a loud rustle. The flames of the kindled fire shone over their heads, and the truth of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity was revealed to the apostles. After this event, the apostles began to speak in different languages. This divided them and, at the same time, united them, because now they were able to preach the Christian doctrine throughout the world, among all peoples. Traditionally, this event is considered the beginning of the Christian Church.

Since ancient times in Germany, this day has been accompanied by weaving wreaths, divination, swinging and boating. Before this day, put things in order in the house and garden. Wildflowers are picked early in the morning, as well as blossoming green branches of trees, birch is valued. They decorate the yard and rooms. Bouquets and wreaths are hung over doors, windows, in the corners of the house, placed in vases, on the table and window sills. Even fences are decorated in the yard.

During the celebration, morning concerts, excursions, walks are usually organized. They hold traditional youth meetings, song and dance festivals, sports competitions. Various jokes are arranged, for example, benches in the park can change their place of residence (but only for a while, by Tuesday morning they will return to their place).

In the villages, the fields are again circumambulated with prayers for fertility. All the inhabitants of the village take part in this solemn procession. Reading the Gospel.

There are the following signs in Germany: "If it rains on the Day of the Holy Spirit, it will rain for seven Sundays in a row" or "Raw Day of the Holy Spirit - to a fat (well-fed) Christmas."

Traditional greeting - " happy day Holy Spirit" ("Ein frohes Pfingstefest").

Bach Festival in Leipzig (Bachfest Leipzig) - international music Festival and Germany's most prestigious festival dedicated to the work of the great German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. It takes place annually in Leipzig in mid-June and lasts about 10 days.

It should be said that several festivals dedicated to Bach are held in Germany every year, but Leipzig is the most famous. It has been held with great success for many years and is traditionally in high demand among fans of this great composer. Many famous musicians and music lovers of "eternal music" from all over the world come here.

Leipzig, a city known for its cultural traditions, is associated not only with the name of Bach - Mendelssohn, Schumann, Schiller lived here at different times. But it is with Leipzig that the most fruitful era in the life and work of Bach is connected.

Bachfest Leipzig is a festival with a long tradition. It first took place in 1904 and was initiated by members of the Neue Bachgesellschaft, a society of admirers of the composer's work. From 1908, the Leipzig City Hall took over the organization of the event. Although the festival was not held every year, but quite regularly. Already in the 1920s, the slogan "Leipzig - the city of music" appeared. However, it was not until the mid-1990s that it was officially decided to hold Bachfest Leipzig annually. The festival was organized by the Leipzig Bach Archive and the city hall. The festival was held on a special scale in 2000, the year of the 250th anniversary of Bach's death. In subsequent years, it gained more and more popularity, the number of guests increased, and the program of the festival itself became more diverse and eventful.

Each year the festival has a specific theme. Since the music of the great composer does not need a "festival" occasion for performance, therefore the organizers either go in search of the origins of Bach's music, or turn to its context. For example, the theme of the 2004 festival was “Bach and Romanticism”, when in concerts Bach's compositions coexisted with the music of Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms. During the days of the festival, Bach's works - and these are masses, works for choir and orchestra, organ and symphonic works - are performed by soloists, musical ensembles and world-class groups in churches and in the historic concert halls of Leipzig, where the great composer once lived and worked. Traditionally, the grand opening of the festival takes place in the famous Church of St. Thomas.

In total, about 100 concerts and various performances take place during the festival. The main place in the program is occupied by musical works of the 19th century, but the public is offered not only organ and church music, but also chamber concerts and jazz interpretations. The participants of the festival also present their programs dedicated to the work of Bach.

It is worth saying that dozens of Bach festivals are held in Germany every year, but none of them can be compared in terms of level and popularity with Leipzig. The extensive program, which includes many activities, is aimed at almost any age and taste, and some of the activities are free. The Bach Festival is a mixture of secular and spiritual concerts.

The musical program of the festival is organically complemented by various cultural events related to the personality of Bach. For example, concert tours to the suburbs of Leipzig, where the composer often visited, competitions for young performers, film screenings, an exhibition of Bach's manuscripts and documents, lectures and reports, as well as an excellent culinary program. Another highlight of the festival, which has become traditional in recent years (since 2003), is the awarding of the Bach Medal to outstanding musicians. The medal is made of Meissen porcelain.

The Feast of Corpus Christi is celebrated annually on the second Thursday after the Day of the Holy Spirit.

It is considered a public holiday in Germany, but it is declared a non-working day only in six federal states (Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saar), in Saxony the districts of Bautzen and Westlausitz rest and in the federal state of Thuringia - predominantly Catholic communities.

This is a relatively new Catholic holiday, officially established in memory of the establishment by Jesus Christ of the sacrament of communion (Eucharist). The Catholic Church regards the Eucharist as a sacred gift left by Christ to its church. The custom first arose in 1247 in the Diocese of Liege (Belgium). In 1264, Pope Urban IV made this holiday a church holiday, granting an indulgence to all who took part in the festive mass. The service of Corpus Christi was composed by Thomas Aquinas, and the text of this service is considered one of the most beautiful in the Roman Breviary.

This holiday gained special love thanks to the richly decorated processions that pass through the streets of cities on this day, which can be seen in today's Germany.

John the Baptist was the forerunner, the "voice" sent to proclaim the incarnate Word. Therefore, celebrating his birth means actually celebrating Christ, the fulfillment of the promises of all the prophets, of which the Baptist was the greatest, called to “prepare the way” before the Messiah (cf. Mt 11:9-10).

All the gospels begin the account of Jesus' public life with the story of how John baptized him in the waters of the Jordan. People fled from Jerusalem and from all parts of Judea to listen to John the Baptist and receive baptism from him in the river, confessing their sins (cf. Mk 1:5). The glory of the prophet baptist was so great that many asked themselves if he was not the expected Messiah. But he categorically denied this: "I am not the Christ" (Jn 1:20). He remains the first "witness" of Jesus, having received an indication about Him from Heaven: "Upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit" (Jn 1:33). This is exactly what happened when Jesus, having received baptism, came out of the water: John saw the Spirit descend on Him in the form of a dove. It was then that he “knew” the full reality of Jesus of Nazareth and began to “reveal Him to Israel” (Jn 1:31), pointing to Him as the Son of God and redeemer of man: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:31). 1.29).

As a true prophet, John bears witness to the truth without compromise. He denounces violations of the commandments of God, even when the powerful of this world were guilty of this. Thus, accusing Herod and Herodias of adultery, he paid for it with his life, crowning his service to Christ, the embodiment of Truth, with martyrdom.

Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist has been known at least since the 4th century: the sermons of the Fathers of the Church of St. John Chrysostom, St. Ambrose and St. Augustine, which were dedicated to this holiday or in which it is mentioned. In particular, St. Augustine in his sermon says the following: “Today we celebrate the day of the Nativity of St. John. This is an honor that no saint is given. Throughout the Christian world, only the days of the Nativity of Christ and the Nativity of St. John."

In the church liturgical calendar, not only the feast of his birth is dedicated to John the Baptist. On August 29, the Church commemorates the beheading of his head, he is one of the central figures of the Advent services ... His heroic character, his outstanding virtues, and especially his completely exceptional role in Sacred History are reflected in the liturgical texts. Here is how St. John the Baptist one of the most beautiful texts Eastern Liturgy: “What shall we call you? a prophet? an angel? an apostle? Or a martyr? An angel, for you lived like the incorporeal. An apostle, for you have instructed all nations. A martyr, for they cut off your head for Christ."

Saint John's Day - Gehane. On this day, the Germans burned bonfires. The place for the fire, according to tradition, was chosen on a hill. It was common to set fire to a wheel mounted on poles. Fire and smoke had special healing properties. Boys and girls jumped over the fire in pairs. Girls wondered about marriage on this day with the help of wreaths of wild flowers - Gehanekranz. Such a wreath was hung on the doors of the house, between the frames of windows facing the street.

According to legend, on June 24, herbs and flowers collected that night had special healing and miraculous powers. Special healing properties were attributed to June 24 and water.

Every year in June, large-scale festivities begin at the Frankfurt am Main Opera Square, which last a little over a week. The festival "Opernplatzfest" (Opernplatzfest) is one of the main social events of this German city. Sometimes it is called an open-air ball.

The building of the Old Opera or the Opera House was built in 1872-1880 in the style of the Italian Renaissance. On May 23, 1944, British aircraft destroyed the building, turning it into ruins. However, after the war, on the initiative of the townspeople, the Old Opera House was restored, and the square in front of it became a favorite place for the people of Frankfurt to relax.

The first festival was held here in 1978 and has been held every year since then. Traditionally, in June, numerous kiosks open on the square, offering delicacies from all over the world to residents and guests of the city. Snow-white pavilions are set up in front of the Old Opera, where you can enjoy champagne.

Around the fountain on the square there are numbers of the festive cultural program. As a rule, it includes performances by popular artists. Another spectacle can be enjoyed outside the official stage: during the days of the festival, the entire color of Frankfurt gathers at the Opera Square - famous politicians, businessmen, cultural figures. They, as a rule, also become the object of attention of curious townspeople and tourists.

In August, Dresden celebrates its day - one of the largest industrial centers in Germany. True, the date of the city celebration does not coincide with the historical birthday of the city, which is celebrated on March 31. Dietrich von Meissen's charter, in which Dresden was first mentioned, dates back to this date in 1206. Thus, the city is just over 800 years old.

City Day is a young holiday, it has been on the calendar since 1998. Nevertheless, it is celebrated in Dresden with wide mass festivities. For three days and nights, the streets and squares turn into concert and theater venues: in different parts of the city you can enjoy either music, or dancing, or performances based on ancient legends. During the daytime, you can visit a variety of sports.

The center of the holiday, as a rule, becomes the Theater Square, where grandiose concerts of popular and rock music are held. Integral elements of the holiday are the festive procession "Der Furstenzug zu Dresden", the steamboat festival "Sachsiche Dampfschifffahrt" and fireworks.

The program of the holiday remains equally rich every year, although it is constantly changing.

The Museum Embankment Festival is the culmination of the cultural life of Frankfurt am Main (Germany) - it is one of the largest and most significant cultural holidays and festivals in Europe. The holiday takes place annually on the last weekend of August for three days.

The Museum Embankment is an embankment on the south bank of the Main River in Frankfurt in the area between the Eiserner-Steg and Friedensbrücke bridges. It got its name because of the large number of museums that are located on it, and is the cultural center of the city, as many cultural and city events take place here. In general, the people of Frankfurt love to celebrate and have fun, and one of their favorite holidays is the Museum Embankment Festival, which also attracts more than 3 million tourists to the city every year.

Traditionally, the Festival presents guests with an extensive cultural program that harmoniously combines music, art, folklore and gastronomy. These days, numerous museums located on the Main embankment offer guests special exhibitions and displays of collections, lectures and readings, art projects and colorful presentations, various entertainment events.

On a stretch of the embankment eight kilometers long on both banks of the Main, many grandiose events take place during the festival days - these are theatrical performances and dramatizations, musical performances, concerts of creative groups, performances musical groups and dance groups and much more. Here you can also enjoy live music, demonstrations of handicrafts, a culinary fair ... And all this mass celebration framed by local dishes and culinary delights from around the world.

As part of the holiday, you can also attend choral performances, organ concerts in the churches of Frankfurt, the music festival "Music in the Monastery", small art, variety shows and other musical events of a wide profile.

An indispensable component of the Festival on the Museum Embankment is the sailing regatta (Drachenbootrennen), which is especially popular with spectators and attracts everyone's attention. At the end of the holiday - a grand fireworks display on the Main.

The Long Night of Museums festival in Berlin is an annual project that brings together more than 100 different cultural institutions in the German capital. It takes place twice a year - in January and August. But it is in the summer that this event is the most colorful and large-scale.

As part of the festival, museums, galleries, exhibition halls, archives, collections, memorials, historical monuments and cultural centers of the city open their doors to everyone on the night from Saturday to Sunday - from 6 pm to 2 am. Guests and residents of Berlin this night can plunge into the multi-layered culture of this beautiful German city by visiting all kinds of cultural events during the festival.

Berlin is 170 museums and collections, more than 200 private galleries and almost 300 exhibitions a day, and the total area of ​​​​all participants in the “museum night” is more than 100 museums, exhibition centers, galleries, archives, palaces and castles, which is almost 400 square meters. . kilometers. The treasures presented in the Berlin museums are luxurious and priceless, all museums and collections are of world importance.

The Long Night of Museums is a well-known and popular project in many European countries. But it was invented and first held here, in Berlin, in 1997, in order to increase the attractiveness of the city for tourists. One of the fundamental goals is to acquaint people, attract and interest the cultural heritage of museums. But at the same time, the festival is always informal.

The "Long Night of Museums" is not just a display of historical, archaeological or pictorial collections, it is a kind of entertainment and cultural event. In addition to the usual tours of the current expositions, the exhibition grounds of the city prepare a special night program for the audience: concerts, lectures, musical performances, theatrical performances, film demonstrations, readings, reports, art workshops are open. In addition, even culinary events are held, and many restaurants offer visitors a special menu on this night.

For the convenience of tourists, buses run along specially designed routes, allowing visitors to move freely from one museum to another. The cost of a single ticket to all museums of the project is about 15 Euro and includes this transport service.

The Berlin Long Night of Museums Festival is one of the most important and popular summer events in the cultural world of the German capital.

Oktoberfest is the world's largest beer festival. It takes place in the capital of Bavaria - Munich, starts in the second half of September and lasts 16 days.

It all started with the marriage of the Bavarian heir to the throne, Crown Prince Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxony. On October 12, 1810, the day their wedding took place, all the inhabitants of the city were invited to the festive festivities. They were collected on a large meadow, which at that time was outside the city limits. In honor of the princess, it is called Therese Meadow (Theresienwiese). For the people of Munich that day there were festivities with free beer and horse races. Everything went so lively and cheerfully that Ludwig gave the order to celebrate Oktoberfest every year. Every year the traditions of past years were preserved, and new ones were added to them.

By tradition, on the opening day, at exactly 12 o'clock, the mayor of the city uncorks a barrel of beer. This symbolic action kicks off the beer marathon. Then a festive procession begins to move along the central streets of the city. At its head - "Munchner Kindi" - a symbol of the city - a young girl with a large bell in her hand, riding a decorated horse. She is dressed in a yellow and black monastic robe.

Carriages of the mayor of Munich and the administration of Bavaria are moving next to her. They are followed by a line of decorated carriages and carts with beer from all parts of Germany, especially from Bavaria. In addition to them, a column of shooters, artists and folklore performers, brass bands, detachments in historical uniforms, as well as representatives of all German states take part in the procession. In the hands of the procession participants are musical instruments from different regions of the country. Traditional genre scenes are played along the way, people carry decorated branches and garlands.

Another Oktoberfest tradition is the opening of giant beer tents, popularly referred to as "tents". There are exactly 14 of them every year. The first such "tents" appeared in 1896. The largest of them, owned by the Munich beer "Hofbrauhaus", fits 11,000 people.

Beer can be bought not only in tents: during beer festival the whole city is immersed in the holiday, numerous beer points are opened on fresh air- biergartens (beer gardens).

Beer is served by waitresses dressed in antique german suits. Beer at Oktoberfest is drunk in liter mugs called “mass”. The masses first appeared in 1892. Interestingly, during the holiday, visitors take with them, as a memento of the festival, more than 70,000 of these mugs!

Despite the fact that beer is a drink exclusively for adults, children are also not forgotten during the holidays. Carousels are specially built for future potential participants of the festivals, ice cream and other sweets are sold. Children ride on the nursery railway, ride in horse-drawn carts, special performances are arranged for them. Luminous horns, hearts, hats with flashing lights are sold on every corner.

All 16 days of drinking beer are accompanied by a rich show program. Costumed parades, processions of shooters, horse races, concerts follow each other. Near the pubs you can often see dancers in traditional Bavarian costumes with leather pants, beating the tap dance "schuplattl" with heavy alpine boots. Also, the city's breweries and beer museums are waiting for you with their excursions.

More than 7 million tourists from all over the world visit Munich during the festival. The holiday itself is consecrated live by TV channels of various countries of the world. For all this, the Oktoberfest beer festival was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest holiday.

The most common name for the end of the harvest holiday among the Germans is "Erntedankfest" - a Thanksgiving holiday. The End of Harvest Festival is celebrated in the Catholic Church in Germany on the first Sunday in October.

This holiday is rooted in Roman customs. On this day, people rejoice at a good harvest and thank God for his gifts of nature (vegetables, fruits, cereals, berries) and for taking care of people. In return for this, believers return to him part of his gift.

The harvest festival was celebrated in pre-Christian times. It has been celebrated in the Catholic Church since the 3rd century. In Prussia, it was first celebrated in 1773 on the first Sunday after St. Michael's Day (September 29), after which it became a regular event. The date of the first Sunday in October was approved in Germany by the Catholic Church in 1972, and each parish of the Evangelical Church determines its own holiday date: the first Sunday in October or the first Sunday after Michael's day.

The ancient peasants believed that the harvest was guarded by the spirit that gave it growth or death. The spirit will give a good harvest if he is pleased and rejoices, and will destroy the harvest if the peasant did not please him or offended him. In this regard, this holiday was celebrated earlier as a victory over the spirits.

Today is the day of completion field work and thank God for his gifts. On this day, a special service is held in the church. At the same time, the church is decorated with the best fruits of the new harvest, wreaths of wheat. These harvesting and reaping wreaths are made in advance from the ears of the last sheaf. Vegetables, fruits, cereals are consecrated and laid out in front of the altar.

The celebration begins with the digging of Kirmes, a straw effigy with a bottle of schnapps, which is buried in the ground 2 weeks before this day. Then the scarecrow is solemnly carried through the whole village to a tree decorated with ribbons, garlands and fruits, and fixed on top. After a magnificent service and dinner, dancing around Kirmes begins.

Dancing couples pass each other a bouquet of flowers, and the couple who, at the moment of the signal-shot, will have a bouquet, feast on a pretzel as a sign of victory. On the next day of the holiday, it is customary to visit the graves of relatives. And on the third day, everyone is invited to the "funeral of Kirmes."

A comic funeral procession of mummers with torches goes to a wasteland, where they bury a stuffed animal, along with an inseparable bottle of schnapps, glass fragments, a rooster's head, ham bones and pieces of a pie. All this symbolizes the gratitude of the people for the harvest year and it is believed that the more joyful the Kirmes holiday is, the better the next harvest will be, and the destruction of the effigy is getting rid of bad habits and all the trouble.

The night before All Saints' Day from October 31 to November 1 is the most mysterious night of the year - Halloween. The holiday, which originated in Ireland, then became traditional in America, after the Second World War returned to Europe, including Germany.

Halloween is not a public holiday in Germany, but every year the number of people dressed as witches and ghosts grows. As the holiday's popularity grows, so does its criticism, as Halloween competes with church and national holidays such as Reformation Day (celebrated on the same day) and Saint Martin's Day (celebrated on November 10 and 11).

Preparations for Halloween begin in September. In stores, you can buy pumpkins of all possible varieties, sizes and colors, and not only real, but also clay, plastic, in the form of candles, garlands, etc. Great amount witches and ghosts can be seen both on the counters and on the balconies, windows, in the garden, in flower pots and in wreaths hung on the front doors. Many children, together with their parents, make all these decorations with their own hands, including the traditional hollow pumpkin with carved eyes, nose and mouth and a candle inserted inside. And since the thrifty Germans do not waste anything, a variety of dishes are prepared from the pulp of the pumpkin - from soups to sweets.

To date, Halloween in Germany has acquired the status of a costume holiday. Across the country, children dress up as witches, vampires, or other creepy characters. In Germany, children do not go to neighbors and ask for sweets, as is done in many countries. Holidays with dressing up in schools and kindergartens are arranged for them. But all this is during the day.

In the evening, not only discos and clubs, but also cafes and restaurants, where the scenery is made as creepy and scary as possible, open their doors to visitors. Adults, with no less pleasure than children, dress up as devils, ghosts, skeletons, witches and demons. The worse the costume looks, the more likely it is to win the main prize of the evening.

The most grandiose performance in Germany, and perhaps in all of Europe, takes place at night on Halloween at Frankenstein Castle. Up to 20,000 visitors flock to the ruins of Frankenstein every year to be properly frightened and horrified, as Halloween brings a huge number of ghosts and ghosts to happily jump around the corner in the cover of night. There you can not only have fun and take part in the play, but, like at any other holiday in Germany, relax in the bar.

November 1 is the day of the annual commemoration of all the saints, martyrs and the departed. The tradition dates back to the 4th century. Then on this day they remembered all the Christian martyrs who were killed for their faith and canonized as Saints. In 609, Pope Boniface IV consecrated the former pagan temple Pantheon in honor of the Virgin and all the martyrs. On November 1, 731, Pope Gregory III consecrated the chapel of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome in honor of all saints.

On this day, festive services are held in the Catholic Church in memory of all the dead. The color of the liturgy is white. On this day, it is customary to decorate the graves of deceased relatives; Catholics light the “light of the soul”, which does not fade on the next Feast of All Souls. This is a symbol of the Eternal Light that shines on all the dead.

This holiday is one of the quiet holidays. Loud music is prohibited on this day and discos are not held. Any congratulations on this holiday are inappropriate.

In the states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and North Rhine-Westphalia, this holiday is a public holiday.

German folk signs:

Schnee am Allerheiligentag selten lange liegen mag. (Snow doesn't last long on All Saints' Day.)

Zum Allerheiligen Sonnenschein tritt der Nachsommer ein. (If the sun shines on All Saints Day, Indian summer will come.)

Allerheiligenreif macht zur Wihnacht alles steif. (If there is frost on All Saints Day, then on Christmas everything will freeze.)

November 9 is a special date in the history of Germany in the 20th century: in 1918, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated the throne, after 5 years the famous "beer putsch" in Munich, led by Adolf Hitler, was suppressed, after another 15 years, the National Socialists organized Jewish pogroms, and in 1989 the Berlin Wall fell.

In Germany, Saint Martin's Day is a harvest festival. He is especially loved by children. After all, it is on this day that Laternenumzug takes place (in free translation - “Procession with Lanterns”). It all starts a few days before, with preparations for the event - children in kindergartens and elementary grades of the school make paper lanterns with their own hands, where candles are inserted.

On the evening of the holiday, children and their parents gather at a designated place (usually near a church) and set off in a column to some predetermined final point of the hike. Usually the distance is short: 30-40 minutes of travel, but the whole point is how it happens. The procession looks impressive - adults carry torches, children carry paper lanterns with lighted candles. Usually, up to several hundred people participate in such trips, so a kind of luminous snake of hundreds of lanterns and torches stretches around the city.

According to legend, this is how the fellow villagers of Saint Martin used to look for him with lanterns and torches in order to pay tribute to him for his kindness.

The Day of National Sorrow is a national day of remembrance in Germany. It is celebrated in mid-November and currently serves as a reminder of the need for reconciliation, understanding and peace. The history of this day is not simple and ambiguous.

This day was established by the German People's Society for the Care of War Graves in 1919 in memory of almost 2 million dead and missing during the First World War. "Unprescribed" grief was the motive of this day, a sign of solidarity of those who lost no one and who had no one to mourn, with the relatives of the dead and missing.

In 1922, the first official solemn meeting took place in the Berlin Reichstag. Paul Loebe, who was then President of the Reichstag, delivers a speech that had an international response, in which he contrasts the warring the world reflections on reconciliation and understanding. Since 1926, the Day of National Sorrow was regularly celebrated on the fifth Sunday after Easter, however, it was not a public holiday.

After the transfer of power into the hands of the National Socialists in 1933, this day was legally declared a state holiday. The organizers of the new public holiday from 1933 to 1945 were the Wehrmacht and the National Socialist German Workers' Party. The nature of the Day of National Sorrow has also undergone strong changes. Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebels issued directives on the content and conduct of the holiday.

Now mourning was no longer his basis. From now on, the dead soldiers of the First World War were glorified as "Heroes" with Nazi pomp. Flags in the country were not lowered, but raised completely. The Nazis renamed the Day of National Sorrow into "Day of Remembrance of Heroes."

In 1948, the German People's Society for the Care of War Graves again adopted the tradition of celebrating the Day of National Sorrow in the form that it had been before 1933. The purpose of the holiday, as before, was mourning and mourning for the dead, but now of two world wars, a reminder of the victims of tyranny and despotism, regardless of nationality.

The first central mourning meeting dedicated to the Day of National Sorrow took place in 1950 in Bonn. Since 1952, this day in Germany has been considered a national day of mourning.

After the Bundestag moved from Bonn to Berlin, the central mourning meeting takes place in the plenary hall of the Bundestag in one of the Reichstag buildings in Berlin. An obligatory part of the rally is the speech of the Chancellor, heads of cabinets of the government and the diplomatic corps, as well as musical arrangement: performance of the national anthem and song " good friend". Similarly, rallies are held in all federal states and most cities in Germany.

Day of Repentance and Prayer in Germany is a ritual holiday of the Protestant Church, rooted in turbulent times of disaster and war. On this day we are talking not about repentance about the deed in the sense of receiving punishment for it, but about changing attitudes, returning to God.

Joint repentance and prayers were known in antiquity. In Rome, for example, such days of universal repentance and prayer were supposed to avert the danger of disasters and wars.

In the Middle Ages, there were two types of days of repentance: some were prescribed by the authorities and celebrated as needed. Others, about three fast days at the beginning of each quarter of the year, stemmed from church regulations.

In 1532, as a reaction to the Turkish War, the first Protestant Day of Repentance and Prayer took place. From the 16th to the 17th centuries, different dates for the "Day of Repentance and Prayer" existed for different areas of Germany. In 1878, 47 Days of Repentance could be counted in 28 German states, celebrated on 24 different days. In 1983 in Prussia, on the initiative of the relevant government agencies this diversity was eliminated and the holiday was appointed on the Wednesday before the last Sunday of the church year, as it is still celebrated.

The essence of the day of repentance and prayer in those days was also often interpreted in different ways: either the people had to repent and pray, or the church authorities prescribed to control and change their thinking and attitude towards God.

During the Second World War, the "Day of Repentance and Prayer" was moved to one of the Sundays and made in fact a special day off - to apply all one's strength to prayers for the war. After the end of the war, the Day of Repentance and Prayer was returned to its pre-war form. In the GDR, this was a day off until 1966, when a 5-day work week was introduced. In Germany, after the war, "Day of Repentance and Prayer" became a public holiday, except for Bavaria. In Bavaria, until 1981, it was considered a day off only in areas with a predominantly Protestant population. Only since 1981 has this day become a public holiday in Federal Germany. After the unification of Germany, the holiday was adopted by all the lands and remained a day off for another 4 years.

Then the government decided that from 1995 the Day of Repentance and Prayer would no longer be a holiday. Such a change was justified as the need to equalize the increased burden on employers, who are forced to pay the newly created compulsory insurance, by increasing the working hours of employees.

Now only in the land of Saxony "Day of Repentance and Prayer" is a public holiday. In other lands, every worker has the right to take a day off on a given day, justifying this with his religious duties. In addition, most schools and kindergartens are closed in Bavaria. All this is subject to much criticism. However, attempts to return the day off have not been successful so far.

But, despite the lack of a day off, the "Day of Repentance and Prayer" remains an important part of the Christian faith. Of course, regular worship services, as they used to be, are no longer held. However, the day before, short plays are staged in schools based on biblical stories related to repentance. And in the evening of this day, divine services are held in many parishes, where the people are called to return to God. At the same time, it is not only about the return of the spiritual. Actions and deeds must also be changed for the better.

On the Day of Remembrance of the Dead, the names of parishioners who died in the past year are announced during services, and relatives commemorate them in cemeteries with hymns and prayers. The ringing of church bells on this day reminds everyone of the frailty of life.

There is nothing surprising in the fact that the last Sunday of the church year was chosen for this day. On the one hand, it is a sign of the end, of irreversibility. However, one week later, the light of the first Advent candle lights up again, which is a symbol of a new, beginning life. Thus, it is clearly emphasized that death is not the end of life.

The day begins in the 15th century. Initially, the reformers did not accept the Catholic All Saints' Day and did not create a similar one in the Protestant holiday calendar, as they wanted to separate themselves from the unwanted cult of burials and the dead. In most Protestant parishes, commemoration of the dead was taboo until the early 19th century.

In 1816, the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III declared the last Sunday of the church year "the Day of Remembrance of those who died in the war of liberation against Napoleon." Gradually, many similar regional holidays united and joined this day. The Protestant Church adopted it and opposed it to the Catholic All Saints' Day.

Saint Nikolaus Day is the first sign of the approaching Christmas. It has been celebrated in Germany since 1555.

In old church records it says: "Before the day of St. Nikolaus, mothers keep gifts and rods ready for their children." In ancient times, Saint Nikolaus gave children nuts, dried fruits and sweet bread baked according to a special recipe with the addition of dried pears, clothes and other things necessary for daily life.

Also today, on the night of December 5th to 6th, German children put polished shoes or boots outside the door so that a passing saint puts apples, tangerines, nuts, sweets there. True, St. Nikolaus brings tasty gifts only to obedient children, and those who annoyed their parents for a whole year and did not obey will receive a rod as a gift. Which of the children was obedient and which was not, Nikolaus reads in his special “golden book”.

An old German children's song goes:

"Saint Nikolaus, give me what you yourself wish,

Apples, nuts, almonds are readily eaten by small children...”.

Christmas in Germany is celebrated on three days: December 24 (Christmas Eve), December 25 (the first day of Christmas, the birth of Christ) and December 26 (the second day of Christmas).

On Christmas Eve in Christian families in Germany it is customary to give each other gifts. This custom is called "Bescherung" - gift giving. It takes place in the flickering of Christmas tree candles, which are lit before or after the Christmas service. Christmas songs are heard, family members give each other gifts.

Children are told a fairy tale that gifts were brought by Santa Claus or the baby Christ. Many families invite Santa to this evening, most often played by a student dressed in a matching costume.

On the first and second days of Christmas, many go to church for a festive service or mass. December 25 and 26 are days off.

Christmas is one of the most beautiful and favorite holidays in Germany, so the Germans prepare for it long and thoroughly.

It was the Germans who gave the world the impractical, cheerful and bright custom of decorating the Christmas tree. Or rather, one German - Martin Luther, the great Protestant and religious reformer.

Four weeks before Christmas, on Saturday, Advent begins. The first pre-Christmas service is held in the church, in which children very often also participate: they sing, play various musical instruments, show performances on Christmas themes. This evening, the Germans will light the first of four candles on the Advent spruce wreath.

Also, Christmas pastries are prepared ahead of time: gingerbread and adits. Stolen in the life of the Germans is of particular importance. The very form of sweet bread, abundantly stuffed with raisins, spices and nuts, resembles a swaddled child - Christ. It is known that adits were baked in Saxony as early as 1300.

The aroma of the holiday is on the streets. About three weeks before Christmas, the Weihnachtsmarkt, the Christmas market, begins. Usually it is arranged on one of the central squares of the city. Rows of decorated tents and houses are lined up, in which there is nothing! Gingerbread and galleries, chocolate figurines and cotton candy, roasted almonds and sweet doughnuts. There are also all kinds of Christmas souvenirs: figurines of animals and fairy-tale people carved from wood, Christmas pyramids rotating from lit candles, glass balls and figurines “smoking” with scented candles. Well, what a German fair without fried sausages and gluvain!

In the center of the fair, a stage is being built where Christmas concerts take place. Here at the fair you can also meet the German Santa Claus, in order to tell you in secret again what gift you expect from him for Christmas.

The gifts will be brought under the Christmas tree by Weihnachtsmann on the evening of December 24th. Then, on the Holy evening on the eve of Christmas, the whole family will gather at the table.

Christmas is family celebration, so on December 25 the whole family will gather for a festive dinner again. This time on the table there will be a baked goose with klez and stewed cabbage. And the house will again be filled with an atmosphere of comfort, tranquility and magic.

The second day of Christmas, December 26, is dedicated to the memory of the holy Protomartyr Stephen; the third day, December 27, is dedicated to the memory of the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian (on this day, the rite of consecration of wine is performed); the fourth day, December 28, is the memory of the Holy Innocent Infants of Bethlehem (priests on this day give a special blessing to children).

The first Christian martyr, Archdeacon St. Stephen, was one of the seven apostles chosen by the Apostle Peter to help the poor and preach Christianity. He was martyred (Stefan was stoned to death) at the age of about 35 in about 35 AD. Before his death, Stefan said: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, Lord, do not impute this to them as a sin," and then he committed his pure soul to Christ.

St. Stephen's Cathedral has been the main temple of the Austrian capital since the 12th century. His images began to appear in paintings with views of Vienna in the Middle Ages.

On the Sunday that falls on one of the eight days of the celebration of Christmas (octave), or on December 30, if Sunday does not fall on these days, the feast of the Holy Family is celebrated: the Infant Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Joseph the Betrothed.

Most effective method it is better to feel the spirit of the country and learn more about its culture - visit some kind of folk festival or folklore festival. There are plenty of such events in Germany: in addition to the well-known Oktoberfest, fairs, parades, processions, competitions and other interesting events are held all over the country on a grand scale.

During mass festivities, tourists have the opportunity to get acquainted with national cuisine, see traditional costumes, hear German folk songs and, in general, get deeper into the atmosphere of the country, which is invaluable for forming the right idea. The largest number of festive events occurs in the summer, and many events are also held in autumn and spring.

The largest events in Germany

Oktoberfest

Perhaps the most famous and grandiose festival in Germany, which annually gathers millions of tourists from all over the world - connoisseurs of quality German beer and folklore traditions. It takes place in Munich in the second half of September-early October. Pavilions of brewing companies (only Munich ones) are set up on Teresa Meadow, which produce a foamy drink in accordance with the laws of the 15th-16th centuries.

Kranger Kirmes

Fair festival, which takes place in the city of Herne. It starts on the last Friday of August and lasts a whole week. This is a fun extravaganza with carousels, music and rides. In terms of the scope of events, the event is second only to the famous Oktoberfest. It is believed that Kranger Kirmes appeared in the 15th century, when illusionists, jugglers, street performers and magicians began to perform at the local wild horse market.

Cannstatter Volksfest

Another beer festival in Germany, but already in Stuttgart. Its history began in the 19th century. At first, beer was not the main " actor”, but gradually the focus shifted, and today visitors can taste the foamy drinks of hundreds of companies that place their tents on an area of ​​16 hectares, as well as eat hearty schnitzels, roast beef and other delicacies. Kannstatter Volksfest takes place in September-October and lasts 16 days.

Great Fair on the Rhine

A large-scale holiday in Düsseldorf, which takes place in July for 10 days and annually gathers about 4 million people. Events are organized in a large clearing in the Oberkassel district. Trade tents and attractions are set up in the middle of ancient buildings, which become natural decorations for the fair. Traditionally, the festival is organized by the St. Sebastian, which has a 700-year history.

Kiel Week

A folk festival that combines traditional festivities, carnival processions and a sailing regatta. It takes place on the territory of the port of Kiel in June and lasts a little over a week. The first ship race took place in the 19th century under Kaiser Wilhelm II. The main events can be seen on the embankment: on specially constructed stages, visitors are entertained by musicians, circus performers, and comedians.

Festival of Saint Liborius in Paderborn

The holiday is dedicated to St. Liborius, the patron saint of the city. It is held in the last days of July. Festive events begin with the ringing of the bells of the cathedral and the solemn procession with the relics of the saint. After the end of the official ceremony, fairs, concerts and colorful shows open in the center of Paderborn. The event ends with a massive fireworks display.

cologne carnival

Carnival takes place in February before the start of Lent (there are similar traditions in many European countries). At this time, the city turns into a theatrical venue: thousands of residents in bright costumes, balls, carnival meetings, gala dinners and mass processions - all this accompanies the holiday. For a few days, life in official institutions stops.

Cologne Gay Pride

Gay parade in Cologne is considered one of the largest in Europe, annually it gathers up to a million spectators and tens of thousands of participants. The main event is a carnival procession, during which representatives of the LGBT community on special platforms follow the streets of the city. The main theme of the gay parade (as well as all similar events) is the struggle for the rights of sexual minorities and the promotion of social tolerance.

Hanseatic regatta

International competitions in the port city of Rostock, which attracts participants from all over Europe. Spectators of the regatta have the opportunity to admire a wide variety of sailing ships, stylized as old ships. Some captains even allow tourists to board or go out to sea for a short ride after the race. The regatta is held in August and lasts only 3 days.

Berlin marathon

A mass run that first started officially in 1974. Since then, the number of its participants has only increased, sometimes the organizers are even forced to reject applications due to the large number of applicants. In addition to the classic distance, you can join the roller skating marathon and children's competitions. During the event, several world records were set.

"Document"

This is a vernissage dedicated to contemporary art which has been held in Kassel since 1955. The first exhibition featured works by Picasso, Kandinsky and other representatives of this genre. Documenta follows a tradition broken in 1937 when the Nazi regime banned the display of "degenerate art". Vernissage is held once every five years.

Bochum Total

A music festival that takes place in the city of Bochum at the beginning of summer. As a rule, it lasts for several days. It hosts teams playing in various genres from jazz to hard rock, so the event is attended by a very diverse audience. For the first time the festival was held in 1986 on two small venues, today city clubs, pubs, streets and parks are involved in the scenes.

Birthday of the port in Hamburg

A maritime festival that impresses with its scope: the venues where mass events are held stretch for many kilometers along the Hamburg embankment. The festival starts on the first Friday of May and lasts for several days. The opening and closing accompanies a colorful parade. The program includes processions, fireworks, a solemn passage of ships along the river and rowing competitions.

"Cologne Lights"

Summer fireworks festival in Cologne, which is famous for its colorful shows. Numerous tourists watch the fireworks from the shores, ship decks, bridges and roofs, from where the most favorable angle opens. In order to take a suitable position, you will have to arrive a few hours before the start. "Cologne Lights" is a one-day festival, it ends with a grandiose light show.

Light Festival in Berlin

During this festival, the sights of Berlin are decorated with incredible light installations. The Cathedral, the Brandenburg Gate, Pergamon, government residences turn into an arena for a fabulous game of spotlights that create vivid and memorable images. Watching the facades of buildings, you can watch a whole light show created by skillful directors. The festival has been held since 2005 in November and lasts about two weeks.

Rock festival Rock am Ring

One of the key rock music festivals, taking place at the Nürburgring, the Formula 1 race track since 1985 (in early June). Since 1987, it has been held in the open-air format. Over the past time, such mastodons as Eric Clapton, AC / DC, Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Scorpions, Van Halen managed to perform on it. Tickets for the festival are sold along with campsites, where visitors will have to stay for three days.

Wurstmarkt Wine Festival

Germany produces not only excellent beer. German wine is also distinguished by excellent quality and excellent taste characteristics. The festival dedicated to this drink is traditionally held in Durkheim (Bavarian Palatinate). During the festival, visitors can taste dozens of varieties, appreciate the local wine culture and enjoy the special atmosphere of the event.

"Lights of the Rhine"

The festival events cover several cities located on the Rhine. They start in May in Bonn and end in September in Bingen. "Lights of the Rhine" is a celebration of colorful fireworks, light installations accompanied by music, knightly tournaments in castles, ship parades and concerts. It is the longest in time, in almost 4 months almost the entire population of the cities standing on the river and numerous tourists manage to take part in it.

Berlin Film Festival

The first film festival was held in Berlin in 1951. Since then, it has become one of the most prestigious and significant events in the world of cinema. It is especially important that directors from various countries, not only from Europe and America, present their films to the jury. For many aspiring masters, the Berlinale becomes a successful debut, after which a successful career begins. The festival takes place in February.

Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival

Festival of classical music, taking place in the cities of Schleswig-Holstein. It brings together leading symphony orchestras and world-famous performers to perform against the backdrop of the stone vaults of ancient cathedrals and castles, illuminated by the lights of the embankments, in parks and workshops of old factories. As part of the festival, about 200 concerts are organized at dozens of venues.

In Germany, as in most countries, the New Year is celebrated on the first of January.

Previously, the New Year was celebrated on January 6 on the day of the Three Kings and was then called das Groß-Neujahr. And since the end of the 18th century, this holiday began to be celebrated on January 1st.
As in all countries, many different rituals are associated with the celebration of the New Year. So, for example, for a holiday it was necessary to wear new clothes, on this day you can’t argue and swear (I think that it’s better not to do this on any day), the house should have an abundance of various delicious food.

In some northern German cities, tables with various treats were set up in front of the house. Also on New Year's Eve baked all kinds of bakery products such as Kringeln, Brezeln, herzförmige Kuchen and decorated them with New Year's wishes (Neujahrssprüche)

Ich wünsche auch aus Herzensgrund
ein gutes Jahr zur Stund
ein Neues Jahr, das auch erquickt
und alle Ubel von euch schickt.

Gott soll auch segnen und erhalten
im Neuen Jahr wie auch im alten
Das wünsch ich auch, Gott mach es wahr!
Die Neujahrsnacht still und klar
deutet auf ein gutes Jahr

There are also standard congratulations in the form of simple phrases:

Prost Neujahr!
Guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr! (colloquial).
Ein gesundes und erfolgreiches Neujahr!
Herzlichen Gluckwunsch zum Jahreswechsel!
Die beste Wünsche zum Neuen Jahre!

Fastnacht (Karneval) - carnival(celebrated in February)

The word Fastnacht comes from the word vas (e) naht (Mittelhochdeutsch) and meant "night tricks and pranks", which manifested the joy associated with the approach of spring. By 1700 this holiday was called Karneval.

Carnival is one of the most fun and unique holidays.

Fasching (approx. Carnival in Bavaria is called so) was not recognized by the Martin Luther church, and therefore this holiday is not celebrated everywhere. According to Catholic custom, this celebration is followed by fasting (fastenzeit). They prepare for the February fun already in November. The celebration always starts on November 11 at 11:11. The peak of the holiday is "three crazy days" (drei tolle Tage, drei Torkeltage, drei fette Tage). Where Maslenitsa is celebrated, schools and shops are closed. Festive dishes are distinguished by the presence of a variety of fatty foods.

Ostern - Easter
Easter is the main holiday of Christians, which is established in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Wunschformeln:
ein schönes Ostern!
Schone Ostern!
Frohe (fröliche) Ostern!
Herzliche Ostergruße!

Man kann sagen:
Ostern fellt / ist dies Jahr sehr früh
Es ist bald Ostern
Was habt ihr Ostern vor?
Wir hatten schöne (ein schönes) Ostern
nachstes Jahr Ostern
kurz nach Ostern
Vorige Ostern waren wir in Spanien.

Easter is celebrated on the 40th day after Aschermittwoch. At this time of the year, the weather is not yet stable, and snow may fall. In this case, they say "weiße Ostern", which means "white Easter".
Trinity is celebrated 50-51 days after Easter. From here, the meaning of the phraseological unit "wenn Ostern und Pfingsten zusammenfallen" becomes clear, which means "never; like a cancer whistles on a mountain; after a rain on Thursday (lit. when Easter coincides with the Trinity)".

Children always think that Easter eggs are brought to them by a hare, and sometimes other animals. Adults hide eggs in the house, in the garden, etc. And the kids are looking for them.

1.Mai - Tag der Arbeit (Labor Day)
In Germany, this day is celebrated with rallies and demonstrations of workers.
The custom of welcoming the coming of May dates back to the 13th century. Green twigs and small trees served as decoration and expression of love. Young people usually gave "Maypoles" or attached them to their girlfriend's house.

Weinachten - Christmas

Christmas in Germany is celebrated on the night of December 25th to 26th. Preparation for the celebration begins 4 weeks before the holiday itself.
The first Sunday after November 26th is Advent, which lasts all 4 weeks until Christmas.

Merry Christmas greetings:

Schöne, frohe, fröliche Weihnachten!

Gesegnete Weihnachten!

Frohes Fest

Es ist bald Wihnachten

Weihnachten steht vor der Tür