Living in Germany: Three King's Day and what does 2024 hold in store for Germany?

Living in Germany is our weekly look at some of the news and talking points in Germany that you might not have heard about. Members can receive it directly to their inbox on Saturday.

What does 2024 hold in store for Germany?

First of all, let’s start off by saying: Frohes Neues Jahr! Yes, it’s a new year and we hope it will be a happy one for you all. There are lots of cool things on the way in Germany. For example, the Bundestag is set to pass the new citizenship law very soon, which will mean all foreigners will be able to hold multiple passports in future and be able to become German with fewer years of residence than the current rules allow. Immigration for skilled workers should get easier with a new visa and other changes. And then there are the events. The Euro football championships are being held in Germany this summer, the Harry Potter Exhibition is coming to Munich from May and it’s the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in November to name but a few. It’s no doubt a great year to visit Germany.

But it would also be wise to prepare yourself for some turbulence: we are just a few days into 2024 and major strike action is being talked about, notably from farmers and train drivers. The political landscape is also shaky. As Brian Melican noted in his article this week, it’s going to be a difficult time in Germany as the coalition struggles internally and the far-right gains in popularity, at least in some places. There are three state elections in the east coming later in the year where the AfD vote is expected to soar. “2024 is going to be hell,” writes Brian. “Precisely what kind of hell becomes clear when you realise that this government, already riven by internal strife, is headed for a punishing round of ballot-box defeats likely to break it apart.”

So, yes, 2024 will hold good times for Germany, but stormy moments are forecast. As always, we’ll keep you updated on the ins and outs of the Bundesrepublik. 

Tweet of the week

Germans love their dogs and order. So it’s no surprise that their furry friends are allocated their own parking spots. 

Oddities of Germany: Der Hundeparkplatz pic.twitter.com/s42KzdpyxZ

— Tessa | Discover Görlitz (@tessaapproves) January 2, 2024

At the start of a new year, it seems appropriate to check out what’s going on in Germany’s famous Reichstag building. On Friday it was covered in a dusting of snow as the weather turned freezing in Berlin. The historic legislative government building on Platz der Republik is the seat of the German Bundestag. In summer many people relax on the grass outside the building. 

Did you know?

It may just be a few days after New Year’s Day but another celebration has arrived in Germany - January 6th is Three King’s Day (Tag der heiligen Drei Könige). But did you know that it’s only a public holiday in three German states? In the regions of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Saxony-Anhalt people don’t have to go to work or school on this day. Like other Feiertage (public holidays), the majority of businesses close their doors and shops shut. But this year, the religious celebration falls on a Saturday, so fewer people will get a day off. If you live in one of these areas, hopefully you prepared by buying your groceries in advance.

As The Local has reported, when a public holiday falls on Saturday or Sunday in Germany,  it is not transferred to a week day unlike some other countries like the UK. Polling conducted by YouGov in 2021 found that roughly half of Germans supported replacing lost public holidays. So would this ever change? It’s not high on the political agenda even though some German politicians have called for public holidays to be moved in the past.