Father's Day in Germany (Vatertag) congratulate →

Many countries around the world are accustomed to celebrating Father's Day every third Sunday in June, following the example of America, but Germany chose a completely different date for this celebration. The Vatertag celebration coincides with the religious event of the Ascension of the Lord, celebrated forty days after Easter. Father's Day in Germany received official status back in 1936. In Germany, Ascension is included in the category of federal dates, so the holiday falls on a non-working day every year. In some regions of the country, this celebration has been called Men's Day in recent years. The history of the holiday began in the 18th century. In those years, in honor of the Ascension of the Lord, various processions and rituals were organized, in particular, dedications of representatives of the strong side of humanity. The following tradition was especially popular: men were seated in wooden carts, after which they were brought to the main square of the village, where the award procedure was carried out. As a rule, the prize went to the father with the most offspring, and a large piece of meat was used as a reward, allowing him to feed a large family. Over the years, the solemn processions lost their symbolism, turning into ordinary country picnics in the same friendly company. Father's Day celebrations in the country are celebrated on a grand scale. Most likely due to religious coincidence, the official columns dedicated to the men's date say that on this day Germans attend churches and spend the day interacting with children. In reality, everything happens completely differently. Probably, in the morning some representatives of the stronger sex run into churches, but by lunchtime the men of Germany gather in huge groups and go on vacation. Most often, picturesque nature is chosen for this. Alcoholic drinks are a mandatory attribute of leisure time - large volumes of bottles are loaded into a special cart. The men open a bottle of foamy drink and walk along the paths. And later everyone begins to relax as he likes. A juicy grill, fishing, football matches and visiting pubs are necessarily accompanied by setting your own records in alcohol consumption. According to official data provided by law enforcement officials, during the Vatertag celebrations, several times more conflicts occur in Germany compared to ordinary days. The number of tragic situations associated with the consumption of alcoholic beverages is also increasing significantly. Every year, Ascension marks the peak number of traffic accidents involving drunken motorists. In general, German men relax to the fullest. The German authorities, especially its female component, have repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with this matter. However, so far no action has been taken to suppress traditional men's recreation.