German pagan holidays are deeply rooted in the pre-Christian traditions and culture of the Germanic people. These holidays typically celebrate various aspects of nature, seasons, and fertility. One such holiday is Ostara, which marks the spring equinox and the return of light and fertility after the dark winter months. During Ostara, people engage in rituals and celebrations to welcome the arrival of spring and the rebirth of nature. Another significant German pagan holiday is Beltane, which takes place on May 1st and is often associated with May Day celebrations. Beltane is a celebration of fertility, abundance, and the coming of summer.

German pagan holidays

Introductions and Foundational Information

• German only. Calculator for fixed and movable holidays.
• German.about.com's Calendar and holiday customs
• EXCELLENT!Religiöses Brauchtum - 4 seasons, numerous feasts, customs, literature
• Catholic Encyclopedia - a wealth of info
• Holidays, Calenders, Seasons, etc. Our links to further resources
• Rites of Passage: baptism, marriage, funerals and other solemn occasions.

• Cross Quarter Days are in red, Equinoxes are in blue. Solstices are solar celebrations, Equinoxes are lunar celebrations
• Seasonal Holidays and Traditions vs. the Calendar and Seasons - some holidays precede or anticipate the season
• See Year of the Sun Calendar for further explanation

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Germanic Wheel of the Year

Part of the ADF Study Program courses requires certain documentation for various lore and hearth cultures. We are sharing an essay from this program regarding the Germanic Wheel of the Year.

Discuss the ritual calendar of one pre-Christian Indo-European culture. Describe how at least eight High Day rituals based on this culture might be celebrated

For this essay I shall discuss a Germanic hearth culture, which I shall refer to as “Heathen.” The preponderance of literary evidence comes from Scandinavia, particularly the late Viking Age. However, the related cultures of Anglo-Saxon England and Germanic speaking regions of Continental Europe are also used.

Some Heathen holidays were solar in nature (e.g., Midsummer), some were determined by a lunar reckoning (the full moon of a certain season), and some were agricultural in nature (such as harvest festivals) (Gundarrson 309). When it comes to seasonal festivals, dates varied according to local climate and culture. There was thus no single, standardized liturgical calendar throughout the Germanic world (Gundarsson 309). The Neopagan Wheel of the Year uses eight holidays determined by a solar year, so the modern liturgist must necessarily choose the closest equivalent historical festival (Gundarrson 310).

Yule seems to have been universally observed throughout the Germanic world, though local customs could vary. Rather than lasting a single night, it was more commonly an observance lasting 13 days (Gundarrson 334). Midsummer was also widely celebrated throughout the Germanic lands (Gundarrson 310-11). In the Scandinavian tradition two more important holidays were Winter Nights (celebrated mid-October) and Sigrblot (celebrated in mid-April) (Gundarsson 310). The Anglo-Saxons and Continental Germans traded Sigrblot for Eostre and Ostara, respectively (Gundarsson 310).

Thus, the four major holidays occurred around the two solstices, not long after the vernal equinox, and mid-to-late October. Lesser holidays include the Scandinavian Disting in late winter, the Continental Walpurgisnacht on May Eve, and the Anglo-Saxon Loaf-Mass in late summer (Gundarrson 311). Taking this into account, we have seven holidays that fit roughly with the Neopagan Wheel of the Year. The only Neopagan holiday that does not have a Germanic equivalent would be the autumnal equinox.

February 2nd

Imbolc in the Celtic traditions (and general Neopaganism) is about celebrating the first signs of spring. The closest equivalent in the Norse tradition is Disting. In some parts of Scandinavia, the female ancestral spirits were communally honored around this time, presumably to lend their efforts to the coming planting season (Gundarsson 363-64). Another possibility is the Charming of the Plough, based on English folk practice. This is a general fertility festival that celebrates the beginning of the forthcoming planting season. It is dedicated to the wights and/or to Freyr (Gundarsson 365-66).

March 21st

The general theme of the holiday is the full bloom of spring. A goddess of spring, dawn and beginnings, called Ostara in German or Eostre in Anglo-Saxon, was honored around this time. She gives her name to the common Heathen holiday known as Ostara ( Gundarsson 369-371). Those practicing a specifically Scandinavian version of Heathenry may object to honoring a Continental or Anglo-Saxon goddess; in such cases honoring a Vanic deity like Freyr and/or Freya would make sense. Finally, in some parts of Scandinavia, the improving weather meant the start of the military campaign season. A Sigrblot, or victory blot, was held in honor of Odin, the Sig-Father (Victory Father) (Gundarsson 372).

May 1st

Spring transitions to summer with this holiday. In Germanic countries May Eve is usually celebrated as Walpurgisnacht. Surviving folk customs paint the night of May Eve as a liminal time when witches held a festival, and magic and divination were performed (Gundarsson 387). The following day (May Day) is a lustful holiday dedicated to honoring the ripening earth with Maypole dances and general carnality (Gundarsson 391-392). Freyr and Freyja can both be honored; the latter especially because of her association with witchcraft (Gundarsson 388).

June 21st

Midsummer is the shortest night of the year. It was a cause for celebration in the cold north of Europe. Bonfires are the preferred method of observance, a folk custom still widely employed in Northern Europe (Gundarsson 396-97). Other traditions are burning sun-wheels and picking herbs (Gundarsson 397-98). Because of the solar aspects of the day, Sunna is often honored. However, Tyr, the god of justice, my be honored, as this was the time of the great assembly, or thing, in many parts of the north (Gundarsson 399).

August 1st

This is widely considered in general Neopaganism the beginning of three harvest festivals. August 1st specifically celebrates the first grain harvest. Loaf-mass, which is rendered as Lammas or Hlafmaest, is often celebrated as a time to break bread. Thor, the gods of rains, is often honored in his agricultural aspects, along with his wife Sif, whose golden hair is a stand-in for the fields of grain (Gundarsson 404). Others honor Tyr, as apparently another thing was held at this time (Gundarsson 405).

September 21st

There is actually little evidence for any kind of historical religious activity at this time. However, in keeping with the spirit of neopaganism which celebrates the 2nd harvest at this time, many Heathens observe an invented holiday called Winter Finding which is a general autumnal observance (Gundarsson 325). Others call it Harvest Home and honor all Vanic deities with a large feast (Albertsson 171-72).

October 31st

Winternights parallels the Celtic Samhain. It was the time of the last harvest. Livestock were culled (Gundarsson 324). The Alfar (local spirits connected with the the male ancestral line) and Disir (female ancestral spirits) were honored for their role in the harvest (Gundarsson 325). One can also honor Freyr, lord of the harvest. Finally this was the start of the Furious Host (Wild Hunt) where the spirits of the dead roamed the fields, and Odin can be given honor ( Gundarsson 330).

December 21st

Yule is by far the most important heathen holiday, and in historical times actually lasted thirteen days, not just one (Gundarsson 334). The Wild Hunt, which began at Winternights, is in full swing during Yule. Odin is thus given special honor (Gundarsson 336-37). The ancestors and house wights are also widely honored (Gundarsson 346, Albertsson 177). Special traditions involve the erection of Yule Tree or burning of a Yule Log (Gundarsson 351, 355). As with most holidays there is an element of feasting, but Yule is particularly known for baking and consuming all manner of food, including cakes and (traditionally) a boar (Gundarsson 354-55).

Sources

Albertsson, Alaric. Travels Through Middle Earth: The Path of a Saxon Sorcerer. Woodbury, Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications; 2009. Print.

Gundarsson, Kveldulf. Our Troth Volume 2: Living the Troth. North Charlestown, SC: Book Surge Publishing; 2007. Print.

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German Holidays and Celebrations

Germany enjoys a number of national and regional public holidays and other festivities that take place throughout the year. Those moving to Germany should familiarize themselves with these days so that they're ready for new customs and holiday traditions and are prepared to join in with the celebrations straight away.

You can find an outline of the major German holidays and festivals (when they are and what they’re about) in this article.

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What do people celebrate in Germany?

As a predominantly Christian country, most celebrations and German national holidays are religious festivities. However, Germany also celebrates a number of non-religious events.

What holidays do German people celebrate?

An essential list of German holidays and upcoming holidays:

• New Year’s Day (Neujahr): January 1, 2022 (Saturday)
• Three Kings Day (Heilige Drei Könige): January 6, 2022 (Thursday)
• Carnival (Karneval): March 1, 2022 (Tuesday)
• Good Friday (Karfreitag): April 15, 2022 (Friday)
• Easter Monday (Ostermontag): April 18, 2022 (Monday)
• Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit): May 01, 2022 (Sunday)
• Mother’s Day (Muttertag): May 8, 2022 (Sunday)
• Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt): May 26, 2022 (Thursday)
• Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag): June 6, 2022 (Monday)
• Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam): June 16, 2022 (Thursday)
• Assumption Day (Mariä Himmelfahrt): August 15, 2022 (Monday)
• Oktoberfest: from September 17, 2022 (Saturday) to October 3, 2022 (Monday)
• German Unity Day (Tag der deutschen Einheit): October 3, 2022 (Monday)
• Day of Reformation (Reformationstag): October 31, 2022 (Monday)
• All Saints’ Day (Allerheiligen): November 1, 2022 (Tuesday)
• Christmas Eve (Weihnachten): December 24, 2022 (Saturday)
• Christmas Day (Weihnachtstag): December 25, 2022 (Sunday)
• Boxing Day (Zweiter Weihnachtsfeiertag): December 26, 2022 (Monday)
• New Year’s Eve (Silvester): December 31, 2022 (Saturday)

New Year's Day | January, 1

New Year's Day (Neujahr) is a National Holiday and a chance to rest after the festivities of the night before. Bleigießen, a type of fortune-telling, is popular on this day (and on New Year's Eve).

Three Kings Day | January, 6

Also known as the Epiphany, Three Kings Day (Heilige Drei Könige) is the day the German Christmas tree is taken down and child carol singers dressed as kings collect money for charity. It is a public holiday in not all but a few states; namely, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, and Sachsen.

Carnival | March, 1

Fasching or Karneval in Germany is a period of Carnival celebrations that go on until Ash Wednesday. Notable Carnival parades in Germany take place in Cologne, Dusseldorf, and Aachen.

Good Friday | April, 15

Like much of the Christian world, Good Friday (Karfreitag) is a national holiday. Christians attend church, whilst others enjoy the day off.

Easter Monday | April, 18

Easter Monday (Ostermontag) is also a national holiday. Monday is about spending quality time with family.

When is Easter this year?

Easter takes place in Germany from Friday, April the 2nd, to Monday, the 5th, in 2021.

Labor Day | May 1st

Labor Day (Tag der Arbeit) on May the 1st is a national holiday in Germany.

How is May Day celebrated in Germany?

May Day, May 1st, in Germany is marked with a blend of pagan rituals and also the celebrations of worker's rights. There are lots of celebrations and parties on the night of the 30th April into the 1st of May; the motto for this night is Tanz in den Mai or “Dance into May”.

Mother's Day | May, 8

Mother's Day (Muttertag) falls on the second Sunday in May. Mother's Day is marked by the giving of flowers and cards to one's mother.

Ascension Day | May, 26

Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt), 40 days after Easter, is another National Holiday in Germany. On Ascension Day Christians, most notably Catholics, attend a church service and spend time with family. It's also Father's Day in which groups of male relatives enjoy activities together.

Whit Monday | June, 6

Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag), sometimes referred to as Pentecost Sunday, falls on the 7th Monday after Easter and it means a day off work for German employees. For Catholics, it's a Holy Day of Observance, so in the south and west of the country, many people go to church.

Corpus Christi | June, 16

Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam) is another movable feast, which takes place 60 days after Easter. It is not a national holiday but is a regional public holiday in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland. In these parts, you may see Catholics head to the streets for a procession after Mass.

Beltane is a celebration of fertility, abundance, and the coming of summer. Traditionally, people would light bonfires and engage in rituals to bless the fields and ensure a fruitful harvest. One of the most well-known German pagan holidays is Yule, which takes place around the winter solstice and marks the longest night of the year.

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Assumption Day | August, 15

Assumption Day (Mariä Himmelfahrt) is another Christian festival that is mostly observed by Catholics and is, therefore, most visible in the regions to the south and west. In Bavaria and Saarland, in fact, it is a public holiday. The Feast of the Assumption of Mary marks Mary's ascension to heaven. Catholics attend a special Mass service with the giving of Mary's Nuts (walnuts and hazelnuts) to children.

Oktoberfest | September, 17

For many moving to Germany, the idea of the Oktoberfest holiday appeals more than the many religious festivities. With plenty of beer, fairground rides, and traditional music, most Oktoberfest events start in late September and run until around October 3rd.

Is Oktoberfest a German holiday?

This month-long affair is not, sadly, a national holiday. However, many people book a day or a week off work to enjoy the festival.

What cities in Germany celebrate Oktoberfest?

Munich is the most famous, with six million visitors each year, but many towns and cities host their own including:

• Stuttgart
• Frankfurt
• Hannover
• Berlin

German Unity Day | October, 3

The German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit) is the most important non-religious holiday in Germany. It's a national holiday where Germans are granted a day off work on October 3rd. The holiday was founded in 1990 after the reunification of West and East Germany. Each year, a different city hosts the main ceremonial act, and festivities are enjoyed all over the country.

Day of Reformation | October, 31

The Day of Reformation (Reformationstag) commemorates the day that Martin Luther pinned his thesis to the door of a church in Wittenberg in 1517.

It is recognized by Protestants (especially Lutherans) and is a public holiday in nine of Germany's federal states including Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, and Bremen. The day is marked by a special church service or simply by spending time with family and friends.

All Saints' Day | November, 1

All Saints Day (Allerheiligen) on the 1st November is a public holiday in five regions: Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland. It's an important Catholic festival where churchgoers remember the dead.

Christmas Eve | December, 24

The start of the Winter Holidays in Germany. Shops close around midday on Christmas Eve (Weihnachten) and many offices let workers leave early to go home and spend time with family and to enjoy a traditional meal of potato salad and sausages or raclette. Attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve to mark the end of advent (which starts on December 6th, St. Nicholas Day) is also popular.

Christmas Day | December, 25

Christmas Day (Weihnachtstag) is undoubtedly the biggest and most important national holiday of the year. In Germany, Christmas Day is marked by both religious and non-secular households.

How does Germany celebrate Christmas?

The Christmas day is centered around a lavish feast with extended family where roast goose or duck are eaten. Families tend to stay at home together, playing games such as hide the pickle - one of the greatest German traditions!

Second Christmas Day (or Boxing Day) | December, 26

The day after Christmas, or Zweiter Weihnachtsfeiertag, is also a public holiday. It is usually spent taking a walk, enjoying another large feast and attending a church service.

Christmas in Germany

Christmas is likely very important to you and your family, whether you are religious or not. Become familiar with the German Christmas schedule and try to combine the traditions of both Germany and your home country to please the kids and to retain something of home.

What is the most important holiday in Germany?

It's difficult to name the most important holiday in Germany. For Catholics, the religious festivals are all important, whilst Protestants tend to focus more on Easter and Reformation Day. Germany Unity Day is politically and socially significant and is observed all over the country. For almost everyone, however, Christmas in Germany is a very special time.

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During Yule, people celebrate the return of light and the rebirth of the sun. This holiday is often observed with feasting, gift-giving, and the decorating of trees, which later influenced the modern Christmas traditions. Additionally, German pagans also celebrate Walpurgisnacht, which takes place on April 30th and is associated with the eve of May Day. Walpurgisnacht is a night when witches were believed to gather and engage in magical activities. Today, it is celebrated with bonfires, dancing, and the wearing of costumes. The significance of these pagan holidays has transcended their origins, and they continue to be observed by modern Germans as a way to connect with their cultural heritage and celebrate the cycles of nature. These holidays provide an opportunity for communities to come together, honor their ancestors, and revel in the beauty and rhythms of the natural world..

Reviews for "Celebrating the Wheel of the Year: German Pagan Holidays"

- Karen - 1 star - I was highly disappointed with the book "German pagan holidays". The information provided was incredibly shallow, and lacked any real depth or historical context. It felt like the author did minimal research and just threw together a bunch of random facts. I was hoping to learn more about the origins and significance of these pagan holidays, but instead I got a brief overview that left me wanting so much more.

- Paul - 2 stars - As someone who is familiar with German pagan holidays, I was not impressed with this book. The author seemed to have a very limited understanding of the subject matter, and many of the claims and explanations provided were inaccurate or misleading. It felt like a missed opportunity to educate readers on these rich and fascinating traditions. I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking a comprehensive and accurate exploration of German pagan holidays.

- Emily - 1 star - Unfortunately, "German pagan holidays" fell short of my expectations. The writing style was dry and unengaging, making it difficult to maintain interest throughout the book. I also found some of the information to be repetitive and redundant, as if the author was simply trying to fill pages. Overall, the book lacked depth and failed to provide a thorough exploration of the topic. I would suggest looking for alternative resources if you want to learn more about German pagan holidays.

The Modern Relevance of German Pagan Holidays