What is German Unity Day?
German Unity Day, in German Tag der Deutschen Einheit, commemorates the reunification of Germany on 3 October 1990, when the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, joined the Federal Republic of Germany under Article 23 of the Basic Law. It is Germany's national day and the only nationwide public holiday set by federal law, whereas the other public holidays are set by the individual states. It was established by the Unification Treaty and has been observed since 1990.
Each year a different city hosts the central celebrations, usually the capital of the federal state that holds the presidency of the Bundesrat, the body representing the states, that year. Recent hosts were Hamburg in 2023, Schwerin in 2024 and Saarbrücken in 2025. The central event is a citizens' festival with an ecumenical service, an official ceremony, concerts and exhibitions, with stands from all the states. The date is also a day of reflection on the legacy of the division of Germany.
Why it is observed
The date was set in the Unification Treaty between the two German states, signed on 31 August 1990. Another candidate, 9 November, the day in 1989 on which the Berlin Wall fell, was set aside because it is also the anniversary of the November pogroms of 1938, which made it a day of mixed memory. From 1954 to 1990 West Germany had marked 17 June as the Day of German Unity, in memory of the 1953 uprising in East Germany.
How the date is set
German Unity Day is fixed on 3 October. It is not moved when it falls on a weekend.
How it is observed
German Unity Day is a public holiday throughout Germany. Banks, offices, schools and most shops are closed, and public transport runs a Sunday-style timetable, although restaurants and attractions generally remain open. The date is fixed and is not moved to a Monday, so when it falls on a weekend there is no substitute day; in 2027 it falls on a Sunday. The host city's festival can lead to road closures and crowds. Pay and time off depend on the contract.
Sources
Germany