Dance ban in Bavaria: Court today decides on protest celebrations!

Dance ban in Bavaria: Court today decides on protest celebrations!

In Bavaria, a ban on dancing applies to nine days a year, also known as "silent days". These days include Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, All Saints' Day, Memorial Day, Dead Sunday, Gradue and Bed Day as well as Christmas Eve. Today, Wednesday, the administrative court in Ansbach is negotiating a ban on dancing, which has repeatedly caused discussions in recent years. The focus is on a ban from the city of Nuremberg, which prohibited the protest celebrations of the religious group BUND for freedom of mind (BFG) on Maundy Thursday last year. The BFG wanted to hold these celebrations, but did not receive a special permit from the regulatory office.

The BFG was positive about the negotiation date because it takes place on a quiet day. Historically, such dance bans in Germany were often introduced for dances considered immoral. The legal basis for the dance bans in Bavaria is based on the holiday law, which is supported, among other things, by the Basic Law and the Weimar Constitution.

a judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court

There was an important turn in 2016 when the Federal Constitutional Court formulated an exception for Good Friday and other silent days. This option exists if parties and celebrations represent a ideological demarcation from Christian beliefs. The BFG Munich has already used this in the past to hold events despite the applicable ban on dance. For example, on March 30, 2024 in Munich, 47 events were organized on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, which included speeches, music and also dance.

Another example is a demo that took place on March 22, 2024 on the Königsplatz. This was organized as part of the "Clubrevolution - against the ban on dance on public holidays". Despite the existing dance bans, organizers are increasingly displeasing about the legislation and demand their abolition, such as the BFG Munich, which plans to carry out on other quiet days such as the Sunday of the dead and all saints.

The legal framework

The holiday law in Bavaria regulates uniformly that the dances are prohibited on certain holidays, especially on Christian holidays. However, there are certain exceptions according to the judgments of the Federal Constitutional Court, which enable events to take place under certain conditions. Despite the ban, the debate about the legality and the design of these regulations is one of the central issues in the current discussion about holiday laws in Germany.

It remains to be seen how the decisions of the administrative court in Ansbach and whether the BFG may be able to fight for a stronger position in relation to freedom of assembly and a possible cancellation of the dance ban.

For many organizers and dance local operators, the ban on dance remains a controversial topic, and the question of the future of the holiday laws in Bavaria remains open. The latest developments could have a significant impact on this discourse. How the legal situation will continue will be shown in the coming weeks.

PNP reports , bfg munich informed , and Germany celebrates further backgrounds.