School holidays in Germany in 2026 are shaped by an early Easter (5 April) and a Labour Day that falls on a Friday โ creating a natural long weekend at the start of May that overlaps with some states' Pfingstferien (Whitsun break).
The early Easter in 2026 means spring school holidays in most Bundeslรคnder begin in late March or very early April. States that schedule their Easter break to begin the week before Good Friday will start as early as 23 March in some cases โ unusually early for spring holidays.
Summer holidays (Sommerferien): The KMK rotation for 2026 continues the staggered model. Bavaria and Baden-Wรผrttemberg again receive later summer holidays than northern states, with their breaks extending into mid-September. Families in different states should not assume shared holiday windows.
Autumn holidays (Herbstferien): With German Unity Day on 3 October falling on a Saturday in 2026, the public holiday provides no weekday benefit. However, most states schedule their Herbstferien in the two weeks following, typically spanning the weeks of 12โ23 October depending on the Bundesland.
For cross-border families or those with children in different states, 2026 is a year to check dates carefully โ the early Easter and Saturday Unity Day mean several assumptions about holiday timing may not hold.