Reunification: Why we celebrate German Unity Day on October 3rd

We have been celebrating German Unity Day in Germany every year since 1990 on October 3rd.

This year, the national holiday falls on a Monday.

What this day is all about, how and where is celebrated - answers to the most important questions.

What are we celebrating on German Unity Day?

The Day of German Unity commemorates German reunification in 1990. Because after the Second World War, as a result of tensions between the western victorious powers (USA, France and Great Britain) and the Soviet Union, Germany was divided into East and West in 1949: The Federal Republic of Germany in the west, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in the east.

The building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 sealed the German-German separation.

After international efforts and the peaceful revolution in the GDR, the Wall fell on November 9, 1989. The treaty for German reunification came into force almost a year later, on September 29, 1990.

In it, October 3rd was declared the Day of German Unity and thus a public holiday.

Originally, the day the Wall came down on November 9 was also discussed as a German national holiday.

This was rejected, however, since the Reichspogromnacht took place on the same date in 1938.

Why is German Unity Day on October 3rd?

Although the Unification Treaty between East and West Germany came into force on September 29, 1990, German reunification was not completed until the night of October 2nd to 3rd, 1990. At midnight the newly founded states joined the Federal Republic of Germany: Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Brandenburg, Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Thuringia.

That is why October 3rd was set as the date for the national holiday.

In which federal states is October 3rd a public holiday?

The Day of German Unity is the only public holiday defined by federal law and is therefore a national holiday.

All other German public holidays are regulated by the federal states themselves.

Employees do not have to go to work on October 3rd, students do not have to go to school, and all shops will remain closed on this day.

Pharmacies are allowed to open, and restaurants and bars can also decide for themselves whether to open or remain closed.

What public holidays were June 17th and October 7th?

In the Federal Republic of Germany there was already a Day of German Unity before the fall of communism from 1954 to 1990.

However, this was written with a small "d" and always took place on June 17 to commemorate the popular uprising in 1953 in the GDR.

The public holiday was lifted with reunification, but to this day numerous authorities, corporations, institutions and foundations under public law fly flags on June 17th.

It is intended to commemorate the people who fought for their rights and freedom in the GDR and suffered when the uprising was suppressed.

In the GDR, October 7th was celebrated as "Republic Day".

It was intended to commemorate the day the state was founded in 1949.

Where will the Day of German Unity be celebrated in 2022?

Every year, the official celebration of German Unity Day is held in a different federal state.

And always in the federal state that is presiding over the Bundesrat at the time.

Last year it was Saxony-Anhalt, this year it's Thuringia.

The state capital is usually the host of the celebrations, like Erfurt this year.

What kind of program is planned for German Unity Day?

Around 120,000 guests are expected in Erfurt at the festival weekend from October 1st to 3rd.

The motto is "grow together".

In addition to the three-day

in the Erfurt Cathedral

on October 3rd and then the

on the Day of German Unity in the Erfurt Theater.

The 16 federal states present themselves on a state

, as does the city of Erfurt and, among others, the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, the Federal Government and the Federal Constitutional Court.

The peace movement and the civil rights movement in the GDR should also have a "fixed place" in the program and be linked to the current challenges, announced Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow, who is the host as Bundesrat President.

Like Erfurt's Mayor Andreas Bausewein, he also expects demonstrations, for example against high energy prices.

There should be no fireworks around the holiday, but

.

To compensate for the energy consumption, street lamps are to be switched off.

There will also be installations in blue and yellow as a sign of solidarity with Ukraine.

Are there any other actions planned for October 3rd?

On the Day of German Unity there will again be a nationwide singing campaign.

The initiative “3.

October – Germany sings and sounds”, which organizes this campaign.

Accordingly, under this year's motto "No violence!", the initiative is also setting a sign for peace in Ukraine.

13 well-known songs such as "Lean On Me" and "Hevenu Shalom Alechem" are on the program, some of which have also been translated into Ukrainian.

Choirs, music ensembles or clubs can register online in advance.

You can also simply sing along to the action on the street or from the balcony.

A full song list and accompanying lyrics can be viewed online.

Day of the open mosque as a sign of belonging

The Open Mosque Day has been held annually on October 3 since 1997.

This goes back to an initiative of the Central Council of Muslims (ZDM) and should be understood as a sign of belonging and solidarity.

Citizens are invited nationwide to visit the Muslim places of worship.

Since 2007, the Coordination Council of Muslims (KRM) has been organizing the day, in which around 1,000 mosques throughout Germany take part every year, to promote getting to know each other and an exchange between Muslims and non-Muslims.

This year the mosques will open their doors under the motto "scarce resources - great responsibility".

This should raise awareness of the need for a sustainable and climate-friendly life, according to the ZMD.

Combating climate change requires far-reaching structural changes and changes in behavior – including among Muslims, mosques and Muslim institutions.

Around 5.5 million Muslims live in Germany.

Of the federal states, the largest number by far live in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The Coordinating Council includes the Central Council of Muslims, the Turkish-Islamic Union (Ditib), the Islamic Council and the Association of Islamic Cultural Centers (VIKZ) as well as the Union of Islamic-Albanian Centers in Germany (UIAZD) and the Central Council of Moroccans in Germany (ZRMD ).