Germany is not like other countries.

[sister_luck]

Today, in the health food shop:

The sweet Japanese woman behind the counter informs the customer in her early twenties of a change in opening hours. The shop will be closed on October 4, because of the holiday on the third.

"Oh", says the girl with the long brown hair, "October 3 is a holiday? What is it for?"
The Japanese lady enunciates clearly: "Tag der Deutschen Einheit."

Granted the girl was probably in kindergarten when it all happened, but on October 3 in 1990, the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany and there was a single German state again. It's been our national holiday since then - as stated in the unification treaty.

It might not have a long tradition like Bastille Day or Independence Day, but it seems unusual to have a national holiday that the citizens don't seem to know about.

Comments

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

It isn't so surprising, or rather it's quite significant and I don't think it's a matter of time and tradition.

The unification was mostly the end of GDR and meant an addition of new lander for FRG; the basis of the constitution didn't change, and I guess that for many people in the West it wasn't a start and certainly not a founding event, even though it had economic and social consequences.

National holidays usually refer to something emotional and, above all, mythical (the origins of a nation or of the date of its independance)about a State. The 3rd of October makes sense because it's the official date of the German re-unification, but it doesn't have the mythical weight of, let's say, the 9th of November for instance.

Eastern Germans might know about the national holiday though.

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

I think it says a lot about Germany - something you only hinted at: due to our shameful history, we are very squeamish about emotional nationalism. It's all very business-like. Now that we're a unified state again, we need a national holiday - let's make it the day that the GDR joined us. (And isn't it telling that I still say 'us' being a child of the FRG?)

November 9 is a bit problematic because of the other things that happened on that day in German history - thus it wasn't chosen.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

November 9 is a bit problematic because of the other things that happened on that day in German history - thus it wasn't chosen.

Oops! I hadn't thought of that!

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

Yeah, being German and celebrating it is complicated.

[rahirah]

Whereas over here will will actively steal holidays from other countries in order to have more excuses to throw a party. *g*

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

You do? (I'm drawing a blank here, help me out!)

[rahirah]

Well, Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick's Day, for two...

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

Oh, of course! Yes, they are an excuse to party, but I was thinking more along the lines of official state-sanctioned holidays. Hm, maybe Columbus Day qualifies? Though that's of course another whole can of worms.

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

Wow - I'm amazed that she didn't know!!

I watched the wall coming down when we were living in Norway. It was amazing.

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

It might have been a momentary lapse and she definitely didn't remember the actual event due to her youth. But yes, it's not really a big deal.

I remember that I was slightly scared about what we Germans would do with that new-found freedom. I was very skeptical.