Just as in America, Germany has holidays with fixed dates and with dates which are relative to the cycle of the moon (such as Easter). The first list has fixed-date holidays and the second list has holidays which are relative to the lunar calendar. Names have been given in German and in English with a brief description where necessary.

* National holidays, celebrated nationally or by German-speaking countries. Many holidays are religious and/or regional.
Holidays with Fixed Dates
Feiertag Holiday Datum - Date
January - Januar
Neujahr * New Year's Day January 1st - 1. Januar
Heilige Drei
Könige *		 Epiphany,
Three Kings		 January 6th - 6. Januar
This is a public - or "bank" holiday in Austria and the Catholic regions of Germany.
February - Februar
Mariä Lichtmess Candlemas
(Groundhog Day)		 February 2nd - 2. Februar
Celebrated in Catholic regions.
Valentinstag Valentine's Day February 14th - 14. Februar
March - März
Josephstag St. Joseph's Day March 19th - 19. März
Celebrated only in Switzerland
Mariä Verkündigung Annunciation March 25th - 25. März
April - April
Erster April April Fool's Day April 1st - 1. April
Walpurgisnacht Walpurgis Night 30. April, mostly northern Germany. Witches (Hexen) gather on eve of St. Walpurga's feast day (May Day).
May - May
Erster Mai *
Tag der Arbeit		 May Day
Labor Day		 May 1st -1. Mai
June - Juni
Johannistag St. John the Baptist's Day June 24th - 24. Juni
Siebenschläfer St. Swithin's Day June 27th - 27. Juni
The mythis that if it rains on this day it will rain for the next seven weeks. This holiday is very much like our Groundhog Day. A Siebenschläfer is a dormouse.
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Holidays with Fixed Dates
Feiertag Holiday Datum - Date
July - Juli
keine none There are no holidays in July.
August - August
Nationalfeiertag * Swiss National Day August 1st - 1. August
This is (obviously) only celebrated in Switzerland and is celebrated with fireworks.
Mariä Himmelfahrt Assumption August 15th - 15. August
September - September
keine none There are no holidays in September.
October - Octobre
Tag der deutschen Einheit * Day of German Unity October 3rd - 3. Oktober
After the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, the German National Holiday was moved to this date.
Nationalfeiertag * National Holiday (Austria) Octover 26th - 26. Oktober
Austria's national holiday celebrates the founding of the Republik Österreich in 1955.
Halloween Halloween October 31st - 31. Oktober
Halloween is not a traditional German celebration, but in recent years it has become increasingly popular in Austria and Germany.
November - November
Allerheiligen All Saints' Day November 1st - 1. November
Allerseelen All Souls' Day November 2nd - 2. November
Martinstag Martinmas November 11th - 11. November
Traditional roast goose (Martinsgans) and lanterns light processsions for children on the evening of the 10th. The 11th is also the official start of Fasching/Karneval in Catholic regions.
December - Dezember
Nikolaustag St. Nicholas Day December 6th - 6. Dezember
On this day the white-bearded Nikolaus (St. Nicholas not Santa Claus) in Catholic regions and der Weihnachtsmann (Christmas man) in Protestand areas (done so to avoid celebration of a catholic saint) brings gifts to children who have left their shoes in front of the door the night before. Christmas presents are given on Christmas Eve by the Christkind (Christchild), NOT by Santa/St. Nikolaus.
Mariä Empfängnis Feast of the Immaculate Conception December 8th - 8. Dezember
Heiligabend* Christmas Eve December 24th - 24. Dezember
This is when the food is eaten and the presents (die Bescherung) are received around the Christmas tree (der Tannenbaum) from family members, friends and das Christkind (Christchild). In America, we have our main celebration on the 25th, but in Europe the main celebration is on the 24th.
Weihnachten * Christmas Day December 25th - 25. Dezember
Zweiter
Weihnachtstag *		 Second Day of Christmas December 26th - 26. Dezember
Known as Stephanstag, St. Stephen's Day, in Austria. This is the German equivelant of Boxing Day.
Silvester New Year's Eve December 31st - 31. Dezember
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Holidays with No Fixed Date
Relative to the Lunar Calendar
Feiertag Holiday Datum - Date
January - February - March
Schmutziger Donnerstag

Weiberfastnacht		 Dirty Thursday

Women's Carnival		 Last Thursday of Fasching/Karneval when women traditionally snip off men's ties.
Rosenmontag Rose Monday Date depends on Easter (Ostern) - Date of Carnival (Mardi Gras) parades in the Rheinland
Fasching,
Karneval		 Mardi Gras
Carnival		 Fasching falls in February or March, depending on the date of Easter (Ostern).
Fastnacht
Karneval		 Shrove Tuesday
Mardi Gras		 Date depends on Easter (Ostern) - Carnival (Mardi Gras)
Aschermittwoch Ash Wednesday End of the Carnival season; start of Lent (Fastenzeit).
April - May - June
Palmsonntag Palmsunday Sunday before Easter (Ostern)
Beginn des Passahfestes First Day of Passover This Jewish festival begins on the 14th day of Nisan and continues for seven or eight days in commemoration of the exodus of the Hebrews from captivity in Egypt.
Gründonnerstag Maundy Thursday Thursday before Easter
From Latin mandatum in the prayer for Christ's washing of the feet of the disciples on the Thursday before Easter.
Karfreitag Good Friday Friday before Easter

Osterfeuer or

Karsamstag

 Easter Fire Saturday before Easter
This was originally a pagan festival, started in about the 8th century. The fire represented the sun, which was the center of people's lives. It eventually became associated with Easter and Christ.
Germans light huge bonfires at sunset on the eve of Easter to begin the liturgy of Easter. Mainly, the non-Christian Germans stand around the fire and drink beer ;)
Ostern
Ostersonntag		 Easter
Easter Sunday		 On the first Sunday that follows the first full moon of spring.
Ostermontag* Easter Monday A public holiday in most regions.
Weißer Sonntag Low Sunday First Sunday after Easter
Date of first communion in the Catholic church.
Muttertag Mother's Day Second Sunday in May
Christi Himmelfahrt* Ascension Day A public holiday
Vatertag* Father's Day On Ascension Day
Father's Day is celebrated much differently in Germany. It's not a day to hang out with your father, as it is in America, but a day on which father's get to go out with their buddies to the pub without being harrassed! :)
Pfingsten Pentecost,
Whitsun,
Whit Sunday		 A public holiday.
On 7th Sun. after Easter. In some German states Pfingsten is a 2-week school holiday.
Pfingstmontag* Whit Monday A public holiday
Fronleichnam Corpus Christi A public holiday in Austria and Catholic parts of Germany & Switzerland.
October - November - December
Volkstrauertag National Day
of Mourning		 In November on the Sunday two weeks prior to the first Advent Sunday. This is similar to the US's "Veteran's Day," except that it commemorates the deaths of all the victims killed by Nazis during the first and second World Wars.
Buß- und
Bettag		 Day of Prayer and Repentance The Wednesday eleven days prior to the first Advent Sunday. A holiday in some regions only.
Totensonntag Mourning Sunday Observed in November on the Sunday prior to the first Advent Sunday. The Protestant version of All Soul's Day.
Erster Advent First Sunday of Advent The four-week Advent period leading up to Christmas is an important part of the German Christmas celebration, which begins on the first Sunday of advent, and ends on the 6th of January (Epiphany or Heilige drei König). Advent marks the opening of thefamous open-air Christmas Markets (Christkindlmärkte/ Weihnachtsmärkte - there is one in nearly every little village!). Christkindl, meaning "Christ child" was turned into Kris Kringle in the US, via the Pennsylvania Germans & Dutch.
Children have little advent calendars (Adventskalendar) with chocolates behind the doors that open on each day and families have four Advent candles, usually burning in the windows. Each week of advent begins by lighting another candle.
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