The Reformation Day on 31st October is now also a holiday in Hamburg. The majority of citizens of Hanseatic City voted in favour of a corresponding request from a group of MEPs. Last week, Schleswig-Holstein Landtag had already declared 31st of October a holiday. Lower Saxony and Bremen could follow.
In Hamburg decision holiday is called "Day of Reformation". This was to solve strong religious reference, said SPD Bundestag group chairman Andreas Dresse. "The Reformation is not an ecclesiastical one, but an overall society." The citizens of Hamburg will refore be given free admission to all municipal museums on 31 October. But day could also give impetus to a good and peaceful interfaith dialogue, says Dressel.
Various members expressed criticism of election of date and in particular condemned anti-Semitic attitude of reformer Martin Lur, which day in her view is coming to fore. Sharp criticism also came from Jewish communities. Michael Fürst, president of Jewish communities in Lower Saxony, had referred to application for public holiday in NDR as "unsustainable". However, counter-motions for world women's Day on 8 March, date of Basic Law on 23 May and day of liberation on 8 May were rejected.
The Evangelical Norrn Church welcomed decision of citizenship. "She appreciates great importance of Reformation for Hamburg, which has changed church, but also social and educational system in long term," said Bishop Kirsten Fehrs. The Catholic Archbishop Stefan Heße, however, showed little enthusiasm. He wanted a broader political and societal debate, he said.
The four North German Länder are jointly striving to introduce a holiday to reduce gap with or countries. Toger with Berlin, y had or have only nine holidays, which always fall on a weekday. In Bavaria 13 days a year are free of work – including Assumption of Virgin Mary, which is not considered a holiday in all municipalities.
The Reformation day in East German states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has been a holiday for a long time. 2017 was 31st of October in whole of Germany free of work, occasion was 500 anniversary of Reformation.
Date Of Update: 01 March 2018, 12:03
