An AI-generated image
Christmas may still be months away, but Germany’s supermarkets are already brimming with gingerbread, advent calendars and festive decorations. The country’s iconic Christmas markets are also preparing to open soon.Yet, a viral claim circulating on social media suggests that all Christmas markets in Germany have been canceled for 2025. DW Fact check checked the viral claim and the origins behind it.Claim: A video on TikTok with the caption “Christmas is around the corner, Germany is CANCELLING their markets… and it also looks like other places in Europe are going to do the same,” has garnered over 600,000 views. Another widely shared post on X (formerly Twitter) claims: “HUNDREDS OF CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN GERMANY CANCELLED,” reaching more than 440,000 views. Some users have gone so far as to claim: “Germany Cancels Christmas”, a phrase seen in viral posts on Instagram and X with over half a million views.DW Fact check: FalseGermany hosts over 2500 Christmas markets annually, known locally as Adventsmarkt, Christkindlmarkt or Weihnachtsmarkt. The Striezelmarkt in Dresden (title picture) alone attracts 2.5 million visitors each year. While there have been isolated cancellations of smaller local markets, there is no evidence nor any official confirmation of widespread closures across the country. Most markets are scheduled to open from late November. Berlin alone will host over 60 markets this year, with numerous others planned in Leipzig, Dresden, Cologne, Frankfurt and Hamburg. Many are already being set up.German media have reported only a few confirmed cancellations so far.In Rostock, a historical Christmas market , already canceled last year. will not return in 2025.In Hamburg’s Rahlstedt district, the local market was called off after stallholders opted not to return due to low revenues last season.The romantic Christmas market at Dortmund’s historic Bodelschwingh Castle has been canceled for both 2025 and 2026 due to extensive renovations at the castle.
What’s the source of the viral claim?
The X post claiming that “hundreds of Christmas markets in Germany” have been canceled cites a single source: Duna Press. An article titled “Germany Cancels Christmas Markets 2025” was published on October 18, 2025, by J&M Duna Press, which describes itself as part of an independent communication and education group.The article claims that organizers in smaller towns cite “unaffordable security costs” as the main reason for cancellations, allegedly stemming from recent terror attacks. However, it only mentions two specific examples: Rheinfeld and Schongau.DW reached out to officials in Schongau, Dormagen (which includes a district named Rheinfeld), and Rheinfelden in case Duna Press had misspelled the town’s name. Schongau responded clearly: “The 2025 Christmas market will take place as usual.” “In previous years, there was no Christmas market in the Dormagen’s district of Rheinfeld and none is planned for 2025 either,” the city of Dormagen informed DW.Rheinfelden had not responded by the time of publication. However, the official website of Rheinfelden confirms that the 2025 Christmas market is scheduled to go ahead.The Duna Press article also claims stores and public venues are “phasing out pork products” to avoid offending Muslim residents, a claim unsupported by evidence. It concludes with the assertion that fear and accommodation are “eroding the fabric of German heritage.”The author of the article named Bianca Firenze has no verifiable background, biography or social media presence linked on the site. She began contributing to Duna Press in August 2024, mostly writing about health and horoscopes.In October 2025, she published several articles focused on Germany’s alleged decline, using sensationalist language and lacking credible sources: “Real Germany’s security challenges about cancels Christmas markets 2025”; “Germany’s economic meltdown: How EU policies and geopolitical gambles are crushing Europe’s powerhouse”; “Echoes of a golden era: My nostalgic journey through prosperous, secure Germany”; “Economic Fallout: How canceled Christmas markets are hitting Germany’s local economies in 2025.”Taken together, these articles paint a rather bleak picture of Germany. All images, including author portraits, are AI-generated, raising questions about the authenticity of the contributors. The only contributor with a real photo and social media profiles is Paulo Fernando de Barros, listed as managing editor.Duna Press Magazine’s social media profiles have very few followers and their posts receive minimal interaction, suggesting limited credibility or audience trust.
Rising costs, not cancellations
DW Fact check also investigated the claim “Germany cancels Christmas.” A reverse image search revealed it originated from a German-language Facebook post. However, the post merely states that some organizers are concerned about rising security costs following attacks in Berlin (2016) and Magdeburg (2024). The author adds: “Some markets might be canceled entirely this year.”Since the attacks on the Berlin Christmas market and in Magdeburg, security costs have indeed risen. In Magdeburg, for example, expenses are expected to nearly double this year from €80,000 to €150,000.While there are no federal regulations, standard security measures now include concrete barriers, bag checks, video surveillance and retractable roadblocks. These are developed by organizers and approved by local authorities.In smaller towns, municipalities may help cover costs. Despite rising costs and the need to reduce the size of some markets to accommodate security measures, there is no indication of widespread cancellations of Christmas markets in Germany. Go to Source
