Reformation Day 2025: Where is the holiday and where is it not?

Reformation Day 2025: Where is the holiday and where is it not?

After a short period of pause, the lights for Reformation Day will be green again on October 31, 2025 - at least in nine federal states in Germany. This holiday, which commemorates Martin Luther's famous posting of theses in 1517, is celebrated in Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia. Shops, schools and offices are closed. However, for residents in the remaining seven federal states, including Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, it means: “Work as usual,” because for them Reformation Day is a normal working day.

As the Mercury reported, the holiday regulations in northern Germany were only introduced in 2018 in order to compensate for the holiday imbalance between northern and southern Germany. In the five eastern German states, Reformation Day has been celebrated as a public holiday since reunification in 1990. The decisive impetus for the expansion of the holiday came from the Reformation anniversary in 2017, which was celebrated nationwide.

The origin of the holiday

Reformation Day is more than just a day off; it is a day of remembrance for the Protestant community. On this day, Martin Luther's courageous step is remembered when he nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church on the evening before All Saints' Day. These theses criticized the Catholic Church's practice of indulgences and contributed significantly to the initiation of the Reformation. With this act, Luther raised the question of redemption and repentance, and the entire religious system began to falter.

Like on the platform Wikipedia is mentioned, there were contemporaries who questioned the meaning of the theses. Historians such as Thomas Kaufmann emphasize that Luther's writing “To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation” had greater relevance. Nevertheless, October 31st has established itself as a central day of remembrance for many Protestants, not least because of the worthy anniversaries in 1717 and 1817.

Regional differences and traditions

In Germany, denominational influences are reflected in the various holiday regulations. While some celebrate Reformation Day with festive church services, in other federal states it remains a less celebrated date. In Austria, for example, Reformation Day is not a public holiday, but Protestant students were able to be exempt from classes until 2020.

In Switzerland, however, Reformation Sunday is celebrated on the first Sunday in November. In international comparison, Reformation Day is also celebrated as a public holiday in countries such as Slovenia and Chile. However, the discussion about the need for a public holiday on this historic date remains controversial, even within Germany. Critics, including the Central Council of Jews in Germany, have expressed skepticism about celebrating Reformation Day.

With all of these aspects, Reformation Day will once again be an occasion for numerous celebrations, discussions and perhaps also for a look at one's own religious history - in the spirit of Martin Luther, who ushered in a complex and eventful era with his theses.