National Day of Mourning 2024 in Germany

The National Day of Mourning (Volkstrauertag) is an occasion to remember all victims of war and tyranny. Like the Sunday of the Dead (Totensonntag), the National Day of Mourning is a “silent day” - this means that in some regions of Germany music or dance events are prohibited.

Is National Day of Mourning a Public Holiday?

While National Day of Mourning is not a public holiday, it is categorized as a silent day (stiller Tag) in all or part of Germany. In some states, special restrictions may apply for certain types of activities, such as concerts or dance events. Depending on the state, businesses may follow normal or restricted opening hours, or they may be closed for the day.

What Do People Do?

Every year on the National Day of Mourning there is a commemoration ceremony in the German parliament (Bundestag) where the President traditionally holds a speech and the members of parliament sing the soldier's song “Der gute Kamerad”. There are similar ceremonies at many memorial sites for the victims of the nazi regime.

Public Life

The Volkstrauertag is a so-called “silent day” (stiller Tag). In some German states music or dance events are prohibited by law. Like on any other Sunday, offices, banks and schools are closed. Public transport usually runs on a normal Sunday schedule.

Background

The National Day of Mourning was established in 1922 and was initially dedicated to the victims of World War I. The nazis made it a national holiday and redefined it as an occasion to celebrate their heros and glorify war. In an effort to symbolize a clear break with the fascist ideology and the nazis' perversion of the holiday's initial aim, the Volkstrauertag was moved to the second Sunday of the church year after World War II. Today it is an occasion not only to mourn the dead but also to illustrate the tragedy of war and speak out for peace.

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.