.
A recent agreement in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein sparked public debate after tabloid headlines claimed Muslims were being granted “extra holidays.” The contract, signed between the state’s Ministry of Education and a regional Islamic association, formalizes the option for Muslim employees and students to request unpaid leave on two major Islamic holidays: the first day of Ramadan and the first day of Eid al-Adha.Although the agreement was routine in nature, it quickly became the subject of heated public debate. Germany’s largest tabloid, Bild, known for stirring controversy, ran the headline: “In Schleswig-Holstein: Muslims Get Additional Holidays,” and claimed that Muslims in the state could now receive extra days off.Die Welt, another newspaper published by Axel Springer, echoed the claim of “two additional Muslim holidays” in Schleswig-Holstein. On Welt TV, Islamic studies scholar Susanne Schröter described them as “Two extra holidays just for Muslims.” She argued that Muslims already benefit from Christian holidays — suggesting that members of other religious communities who don’t receive similar allowances for their own holidays could be “unfairly disadvantaged without equivalent time off.”Legal and Islamic scholar Mathias Rohe, who advises policymakers and served on the inaugural German Islam Conference, dismissed the uproar, calling the regulation “Completely unremarkable, in substance.” In his view, the agreement merely affirms a long-standing legal practice rooted in religious freedom — not a new entitlement.Muslims in Germany are not granted any ‘extra holidays.’ A spokesperson for the Ministry of Education in Kiel explained that the agreement with the Northern German State Association of Islamic Cultural Centers (VIKZ LZ Norddeutschland) merely formalizes an existing practice — it does not create new legal entitlements.Integration and equalityThis modest step in Kiel — and the public reaction it provoked — reflects a broader national conversation in Germany about integration and cultural identity, one that increasingly includes questions about public holidays. German law specifies which days most employees are entitled to time off. Such days are called ‘statutory holidays.’ Only one of them — October 3rd, the national holiday marking German reunification — is uniformly regulated across all states by federal law.Many other holidays, rooted in religious tradition, are regulated by individual states — creating a patchwork of rules across the country.All employees in Germany are entitled to time off on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, as well as Easter Monday and Pentecost Monday. Corpus Christi, a Catholic feast celebrated in late spring, is a public holiday only in states with large Catholic populations. Similarly, the Protestant Day of Repentance and Prayer, held in November, is recognized only in states with significant Protestant populations.These rules were established decades ago, but religious demographics and expectations have evolved. Consider Corpus Christi in Schleswig-Holstein — it is not recognized as a public holiday there. Still, Catholics who wish to attend church and observe the day may request special leave, which employers are encouraged to grant when possible. This leave is unpaid. Today, flexible schedules and time-tracking systems often allow such requests to be handled informally.Schleswig-Holstein is now extending the same principle to two Muslim holidays. On the first day of Ramadan and the first day of Eid al-Adha, civil servants, employees, and students may be “excused,” according to the state ministry. This provision aligns with the state’s Sunday and Holiday Act, as well as its education laws — and the leave is granted without pay.A nod to religious freedomThat’s why Mathias Rohe describes the Kiel agreement as “Completely unremarkable, in terms of holiday regulation.” It reflects “an already common legal practice,” and appropriately acknowledges “the constitutionally protected religious freedom of the Muslim population.” He adds that such clarification is useful for authorities and institutions, as “the details of legal practice are not widely known.”What about schools? A query to the office of the Standing Conference of Education Ministers (KMK) in Berlin confirms that education policy is the responsibility of individual states within Germany’s federal system. According to the KMK, students are generally allowed to take time off from school to observe religious holidays.In Bavaria, Jewish students may be excused for five religious holidays, typically spanning ten school days. Muslim students are granted leave for two holidays over a maximum of four school days. Orthodox Christian students may be excused for seven holidays over seven school days.Most states follow similar, though not identical, practices. Some, such as Hamburg and Rhineland-Palatinate, also recognize Alevi holidays. In eastern Thuringia, by contrast, only Christian holidays are listed. For broader guidance, the Intercultural Calendar published by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) highlights major religious holidays that may be meaningful to families with migrant backgrounds.Federal states with large Muslim populations, such as North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin, have issued similar policy guidance to support religious observance.School regulations tend to be more rigid than labor market rules, since students don’t have the same flexibility to schedule vacation days or work overtime like employees can. The Tikvah Institute, which promotes Jewish perspectives, is urging states to take major Jewish holidays into account when planning university exams.Central Council of Muslims: No preferential treatmentAbdassamad El-Yazidi, chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany (ZMD), welcomes the clarifications: “This is not about giving Muslims preferential treatment,” he told DW, but rather about allowing them to take leave, or request unpaid time off, on religiously significant days, “Just as members of other non-Christian religious communities are entitled to do.”He voiced concern that certain actors and media outlets repeatedly use such moments to reinforce prejudices against Muslim citizens. Instead, he urged a commitment to respectful coexistence in a diverse society.In a follow-up, the Bild tabloid revisited the topic a few days later with the following headline: “Uproar over Government Announcement: Extra Holidays for Muslims? Here’s what’s behind It.” A few lines into the article, the tabloid issued a clarification: “Muslims do not gain any labor law advantages from this.” Go to Source
