Dance ban on Good Friday: Where is the longest in northern Germany?

Dance ban on Good Friday: Where is the longest in northern Germany?

Hamburg, Deutschland - on Good Friday, April 18, 2025, a strict ban on dance applies in Germany, which extends over different periods depending on the state. The day has a special meaning for Christians because it reminds of the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross. For this reason, Good Friday is seen as a quiet holiday at which public dance events and other public events, such as sporting events, are prohibited.

like ndr is Lower Saxony with the longest Duration of the ban on dance, while in Bremen the shortest of only 15 hours. The ban on dance is distributed significantly over the entire federal territory: in Rhineland-Palatinate, for example, it starts on Maundy Thursday at 4 a.m. and only ends on Easter Sunday at 4 p.m.

rules and exceptions

In Hamburg, the ban on dancing has been loosened since March 2024; It now applies from 5 a.m. on Good Friday to midnight. Despite this relaxation, the Hamburg cathedral remains closed. The regulations are also different in other federal states. In Bavaria, the dance ban from Maundy Thursday at 2 a.m. to Holy Saturday at midnight applies, while in Saxony it applies all day on Good Friday. Clubs and discos must remain closed during the dance ban, and dance events are prohibited.

private celebrations are allowed on Good Friday, but the celebrants have to pay attention to the volume. Public sporting events are also not permitted on this day, which means that no Friday game can take place in the Bundesliga.

In a YouGov survey, around 50% of the Germans stated that the dance ban was loosening, while about 30% are against it. This shows the split opinion in society on this topic and raises questions about the compatibility of religious traditions and leisure activities.

The Evangelical Regional Bishop Petra Bahr commented in this context and spoke out as a quiet holiday for maintaining the Good Friday. The case of a Göttingen club operator who complained to a fine imposed by the city for the ban on dancing proves the legal challenges associated with this holiday. The lawyer of the club operators argued that non -Christians were forced to adhere to religious rules. The dispute has already been forwarded to the Federal Constitutional Court and is likely to bring the ban on dancing to the test.