Celebrating Easter in Germany is much more than a trip to church, an Easter Egg hunt, brunch, and a nice hat. Easter is a major holiday in Germany, and the events go beyond home and church. Preparations start well before Easter Sunday! and don’t end there. Many Easter traditions we follow here in the US and elsewhere stem from German customs. Find some fun German Easter traditions to add to your celebrations here!
German Easter Traditions
Image from Deposit Photos/ Easter Images
When is Easter? German Easter Holidays
In Germany, Easter is a four-day holiday, beginning on Good Friday and ending on Easter Monday. Both Friday and Monday are National Public Holidays. Generally, schools give the students two weeks off around this weekend, so if you are traveling in Germany, prepare for more traffic on the roads!
The actual date for Easter Sunday is different every year, but it was established in 325AD by the Council of Nicea (the same people who gave us the Nicene Creed)- Easter is the First Sunday after the first full moon, after the vernal equinox. Since the lunar cycle and the calendar don’t match up, Easter moves around.
Easter Sunday dates-
In 2025, Easter Sunday falls on April 20
Good Friday (Karfreitag)
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday. According to the Church, this was the day Jesus was crucified. In Germany, this is a holiday spent with family. Many choose to attend worship services, and it is customary to serve fish for the mid-day meal. Church bells are generally silent on Good Friday, and shops, banks, and Post Offices are closed. You may see religious processions in town.
Easter Saturday (Karsamstag or Ostersamstag)
For some people, Easter Saturday is considered a quiet day, a day of waiting. But for most, it is a family day spent preparing for Easter. Some bake an Easter Lamb in anticipation of Sunday’s Meal.
One fun thing to do is visit an Easter Market. Similar to Christmas Markets, these Easter Markets sell handcrafted Ornaments for your Osterbaum (Easter Tree) or fun decorations for your home. Saturday is also the day for Easter Bonfires to chase away the gloom of Winter.
Easter Sunday (Ostersonntag)
Easter Sunday is celebrated much like it is in the US. Many people go to church. After this, families and friends gather for a large meal of Lamb. Potatoes, vegetables, and fresh salads round out the meal. Dessert with Kaffee is often a lamb-shaped Cake, Fruit Torte, or cookies in the shapes of flowers or eggs.
Of course, the night before or very early in the morning, parents hide Easter treats- colored eggs, chocolates, and small presents for the children. The treats are hidden in a basket or nest and sometimes in a paper mache egg.
Stores are closed, except newspaper stands and a few shops at rail stations.
Easter Monday (Ostermontag)
Easter Monday is a day of remembrance or reflection. Early in the morning, you may see candle-lit parades or walks. Churches hold services at the end of these walks.
Because it’s Germany, people want to get outside. Many people see this as a day to go into the countryside. They walk, hike, picnic, and generally enjoy nature. This is a celebration of Winter’s end and the new life that comes with Spring. Many communities hold Easter Egg races for children (with an Egg or Potato on a spoon).
Easter Monday is a public holiday, so stores, banks, and the post office are closed again.
Click to learn more About the Easter Weekend-
German Easter Vocabulary
Frohe Ostern– Happy Easter
der Osterhase– Easter Rabbit
das Osterei– Easter Egg
Ostereier suchen- Search for Easter Egg
der Ostersonntag– Easter Sunday
die Ostermesse– Easter Church Service
die Osterglocke– (literally Easter Bell) Daffodil
das Schokoladenei– Chocolate Easter Egg
Osterspaziergang- Easter Walk
For more Easter Vocabulary- Ostervokabeln
More German Easter Traditions, Facts and Customs
Easter Bunny
Did you know that the Easter Bunny is a German tradition? According to legend, a few hundred years ago, Duchess Rosilinda von Lindenberg had to flee from her home with her children and a servant to hide from war on her land. They found shelter in a small mining village in the mountains. The poor villagers didn’t have much but shared what they had. The Duchess decided to repay their kindness by giving them Chickens. At Easter, she dyed eggs and hid them in little nests she and the children crafted. The children were delighted to hunt for the treats. When a rabbit jumped out of a thicket near a nest, they became convinced that the bunny brought the eggs!
Read more about the Easter Bunny here–> Where did the Easter Bunny Originate.
Easter Tree or Osterbaum
In Germany, Easter Trees or bouquets are also set up inside the home. Branches with buds are put into a vase and decorated with Easter egg ornaments. Sometimes, the buds even bloom, making the arrangement even more beautiful!
Some people decorate live trees or bushes in their yards with colored eggs tied on with ribbon. Unlike Christmas trees, these trees are living and don’t require a special stand or lights. Because it can still be grey and cold in the Spring, these colored eggs add a festive atmosphere to neighborhoods and towns. The eggs can be plastic, wooden, or real painted eggs that have been hollowed out.
Read more about Easter Trees here–> What is an Osterbaum
Palm Sunday in Germany
The Sunday before Easter is also known as Palm Sunday. Many communities, especially in Catholic areas of Southern Germany, hold processions. Children carry Palmbuschen, large bouquets made from Pussy Willow and other green plants. After receiving a blessing in the church, the Palmbuschen hang at home to bring blessings to the house.
Read more about Palm Sunday in Germany HERE–> Palm Sunday in Germany
German Easter Fountains
In parts of Germany, there was a tradition of drawing Easter Water (Osterwasser) for health and purification. Sprinkling it on the eyes was good for eyesight, and Farmers would give it to their animals to stay healthy. In Pomerania, Easter Water meant Life and Fertility, and unmarried women would go to collect some before the sun came up. If she could sprinkle it onto the man she loved, there could be a wedding soon!
To honor the water, the giver of life, people cleaned the wells in Springtime, and, over time, it became customary to decorate wells with ribbons, flowers, and eggs.
Today, the custom of decorating the town’s water fountain or well has spread across Germany.
Read more about German Easter Fountains here–> German Easter Fountains
Schloßberg, Oberstadion, Land Baden-Württemberg, Deutschland
Legend of Easter Water
In some parts of Pomerania, Germany, it was customary for a young, unmarried girl to go to the local stream and gather water on Easter morning to collect Easter Water. The rules were simple: She must not talk to anyone on the way there or the way back, lest the water not be special. This was Easter Water. Symbolically, water means life and fertility, but this water contains a little magic. If a girl could sprinkle her lover with it, there would be a wedding soon.
Easter Water also had healing properties against eye and skin ailments.
Today, OsterWasser often refers to the Schnapps drunk with friends on Easter Morning.
To read more about Osterwasser… Easter Water, click here–>Osterwasser, the Legend of Easter Water
Easter Fire in Germany
The Easter Fire, or Osterfeuer, acts as a symbol of light in the darkness. It can be as simple as lighting a candle or as massive as the bonfires ignited all over Germany at Easter. Because fire symbolizes light and renewal, it signifies the end of Winter and the coming of Spring. It also represents Jesus Christ as the Light of the world. Depending on the community, the Easter fire is lit on Good Friday or Black (Holy) Saturday, with Saturday being more common, and extinguished on Easter Sunday or Monday.
Much of the religious meaning behind the Easter Fire has been lost in modern times, and these Bonfires have become more of a town Fest with food and drink; some communities even set up rides for kids!
Read more about Easter Fire in Germany here–> Easter Fire in Germany
Ostara
Was German Ostern named for the goddess Ostara? Jakob Grimm thinks so… but it may not be that simple. The legend may be younger than you think.
Read more about Ostera here–> Ostara
German Easter Markets
Like German Christmas Markets, German Easter Markets sell seasonal ornaments and foods. The markets open on weekends during Lent. You will find decorated eggs, ornaments, figurines, and many delicious treats. Some Markets even have Carnival areas where kids can play games!
Read more about German Easter Markets HERE—> German Easter Markets
German Paper Mache Easter Eggs
The Easter Bunny (Oster Hase) in Germany doesn’t just hide treats in pastel-colored plastic eggs or baskets. Instead, he uses these traditional German paper-mache Easter Eggs. These beautifully decorated eggs, with bunnies, flowers, and springtime motifs, are big enough to hold all your favorite Easter chocolates. The gift box eggs are a lovely addition to your Easter celebrations. They are one of my favorite German Easter traditions.
Today, many people collect the vintage styles of these eggs and use them every year to give candies to children or hostess gifts to friends.
Read more about German Paper Mache Easter Eggs Here–> German Paper Mache Easter Eggs
German Easter Treats
(because it’s more than just German Easter FACTS… there’s FOOD)
German Easter Chocolates
What would a holiday in Germany be without chocolate? Fortunately, you can get many of your favorite German Chocolates in special Easter Shapes and Packaging in the US. I tuck these delicious treats into Easter Baskets and paper mache eggs, and I also like to give a nice box of German Easter Chocolates to friends as a small gift. (“Adult” chocolates filled with Marzipan and liquor are available!)
One of my favorite things to do for the Easter Meal, either breakfast, Easter dinner, or just a Kaffee, is sprinkle small themed chocolates around the table as an edible decoration. Just be careful not to put anything hot on it, or you’ll have a mess!
Order German Easter Chocolates HERE–> Buy German Easter Chocolates
German Easter Candy and Sweets
Looking for more more than just chocolate for your Easter Basket? Find your favorite Gummi candies, Marzipan treats, Fondant candies, Dip Eggs, Dickmann Eggs, and special Easter Gifts.
These Candies and Sweets make great fillers for the Easter Basket! Plus there are “adult” candies for the grown ups in your world.
Find your favorite Easter Candy and Sweets HERE–> Easter Candy
German Easter Lamb Cake
German Easter Lamb Cake is the centerpiece and dessert on many tables at Easter. While many bakeries in Germany sell it, this is not a difficult cake to make at home. The sweet lamb, representing the Lamb of God, is baked into a lamb-shaped mold, and then decorated with a simple sprinkling of powdered sugar or white frosting in some homes. The cake is generally a pound cake, sometimes flavored with ground nuts.
You can bake your own Easter Lamb Cake. All you need is a recipe, a mold, and a few tips to ensure success.
Find the Recipe and Lamb Cake Molds HERE–> German Easter Lamb Cake Recipe and Cake Molds
German Kinder Eggs
Kinder Surprise Eggs may not be available in the United States, but Kinder Joy Eggs are! And they make a sweet Easter Basket Filler. Learn all about Kinder Eggs, and find out where you can buy them, and the toys from Kinder Surprise Eggs here.
German Kinder Eggs- The Chocolate Eggs with the Toy Inside
German Hefezopf
A German Hefezopf is a lightly sweetened, braided yeast bread studded with Raisins. This braid makes a beautiful centerpiece for Easter Brunch! You can also serve it in the afternoon with a cup of coffee. Don’t be intimidated by the yeast dough- this recipe isn’t too complicated. The Bread tastes delicious fresh, or you can enjoy it toasted.
I like mine with a smear of Jam.
Find the recipe for German Hefezopf here–> German Hefezopf Recipe
Easter Breakfast
In a country renowned for fabulous breakfasts… Easter breakfast is the king. All stops are pulled out. Table set perfectly, rolls, Hefezopf and other sweet breads fill baskets to overloading, there is Aufschnitt and glass jars of Jams, best of all, there are chocolates at each place setting!
Find some great Easter Breakfast ideas here–> German Easter Breakfast
Decorated your home with beautiful Easter Decorations from KätheWohlfahrt
Wunderbar! Vielen danke fur alles, John Seip
Tһe best demand fоr hake has been in Europe.
VERY VERY VERY interesting, love anything and everything about Germany cause my family roots are from Leipzig, Germany. Love the old world facts and traditions about Germany. I’m a 78 yr. old male dying of copd so I try to learn as much as I can about my roots, again, thanks for this post.
Oh Ron.. sending big hugs!
Hello to all
In this baffling span, I love you all
Appreciate your one’s nearest and friends
Hello. I almost had a Easter baby. It was 4 days before Easter when I went into labor. The doctor told me since it was my second child, I would give birth quickly. Boy was he mistaken. I was in heave labor for 3 days. My daughter was born on a Saturday, April first. I got me a April fools baby. The next day was Sunday, Easter. I sure wished I could’ve hang on till then. But no I couldn’t. I so much wanted her to be born on Easter Sunday. All I had to do was hang on one more day. My wish was not granted. The pain of her birth was excruciating, and I was glad that it was over. Wonder why the doctor said you will give birth fast. I needed to go to the bathroom badly, but was not allowed to leave the birthing table. They where afraid I would give birth on the toilet. The pain I had was worse then I had with my first child. With her I went into labor and had her 3 hours later. She weight almost 10 pounds and ripped me wide open. When my mother came and she found out that I was not sewn up 4 hours later, she raised holy hell with the doctor. Then I had to undergo more pain, because I was not sedated. They said you can stand the pain after all the heavy pain I endured. When I was sewn up, it hurt so bad, I kicked the doctor. He couldn’t stand back up in a strait position for days. Well I thought he deserved it for putting me through that. It took the doctor several days before he could walk strait again. As a child I never experimented Easter like you Karen told us about Easter in Germany. To my mother and me it was a holy day and was celebrated in church. I never went to a Easter egg hunt. My mom was really not that good of a catholic, but to her Easter was a holy day and she stuck with that believe. No heathen things where allowed. The rising of Christ we celebrated. I sure missed out on a lot of things in Germany. When my children where little, the looked for Easter eggs, till the became much older and had lost interest in it. Of course by then we lived in the States and I loved the way Americans celebrated Easter. But we always attended church. I became disinterested with the catholic church in America and don’t believe in many things anymore. I was very disappointed with the church and some of there teachings. Specially the way my children where treated in the catholic school by the nuns.
But the way you told us all about how Easter in Germany was celebrated, I sure learned a lot. Thank you Karen.
That’s quite a story! my son is an Eastertime baby too.
I tasted Lamb one time and didn’t like it. My mother never cooked Lamb on Easter. Guess she couldn’t afford it.
I learn so much from you Karen. You do resurch, and your stories are so interesting. If I would know how to use my computer, I would do it also. But I have limited knowledge and don’t understand computer language.
Thank you for all your very interesting stories. Have a wonderful day.
Hi Karen. I wrote down your Omas recipe for Vanilla sauce. My mother made it the same way. I have made the sauce too, but something was missing. After reading the recipe, I knew what it was. It was the egg yolks. I totally had forgotten that part. I tried sending a comment after I read the recipe, but for some odd reason it wouldn’t let me send it. My old computer messes up every so often. Vielen herzlichen Dank fuer das Rezept.
Karen, Happy Easter. Read your entire posting to my Mutti who is 94 and living in Arizona. I am 72 and miss those memories of celebrating Easter in Wurzburg. Have nothing but loving memories of those first ten years of traditions shared by myself, my little brother and my parents along with my beloved Oma and Opa. Ah, those were the days my friend. I currently live in Washington State and have discovered a well shared secret of visiting Leavenworth, WA. Manifest (2019) in that town was the next best thing to being in Bavaria. Beautiful experience what with the music, food, dancers, parade, crafts, traditional buildings, flower baskets on the street lights, fountains, murals on the buildings. I could go on but it has to be experienced to really appreciate what the citizens have done. Finally I got the connection of the Osterhass at Easter. Thanks for enlightening me. Best wishes and good health.
I’m delighted that you are enjoying it!