The Spooky Side of Germany: How Halloween is Celebrated

Do Germans celebrate Halloween? Check out this post to find out everything you need to know about what Germans do during the Halloween season.

Although many Americans may not know this, Halloween is just as widely celebrated in other countries as it is in the U.S. Whether you’re German, American, or any other nationality, you can celebrate it with the same eagerness as anyone else.

In Germany specifically, Halloween is not a traditional German celebration but it is a recognized event in the fall. Today, many German children know about the autumn event so it’s not uncommon to see them celebrate it in their special way.

So, if you’re trying to figure out “Do Germans celebrate Halloween?”, you’ve come to the right place. This post alone highlights the history of Halloween in Germany and what Germans do during this special event.

Do Germans celebrate Halloween?

Yes, Germans celebrate Halloween as do many other countries. The only difference is that Germans have their special way of celebrating it.

Only a few people in Germany recognize the autumn event by buying Halloween decorations, costumes, makeup, and accessories. People with kids however are more likely to spend more and go all out.

Dressing up, however, is more of a younger generation thing since not a lot of Germans do it. By younger generation, I’m referring to anyone between the ages of 18 and 29 since they are more likely to dress up for a party or club.

And if you’re curious about how Germans trick or treat, that’s coming up! But I will say only 50% of the houses in Germany are open to giving candy to kids since others could care less about the special occasion.

What is the history of Halloween in Germany?

The history of Halloween in Germany started in 1994. Germans were aware of the American holiday through Hollywood movies and television but it wasn’t a special occasion to be celebrated until the country was influenced by The Special Carnival Group (Fachgruppe Karneval) of the German Association for the Toy Industry (Deutscher Verband der Spielwarenindustrie, DVSI). This organization claimed that the German amusement and toy industry was hurt badly after the Karneval was canceled in 1994 and they needed an alternative to make money due to financial constraints.

So, the organization started a campaign to promote Halloween to Germans in 1994. This helped the organization succeed financially after Karneval was canceled since Germans were spending 30 million annually on Halloween-related merchandise. This also had a huge effect on Germany’s economy and culture as a whole as well as the German candy industry.

How is Halloween celebrated in Germany?

Typically, people who love Halloween in Germany throw themed events and parties across the country. Germans have also developed and designed their customs when it comes to costumes, pumpkins, trick-or-treating, and food. Children in Germany even celebrate Halloween in school by throwing small parties or gathering together to enjoy music, costumes, and snacks, creating a different style of celebrating Halloween.

Costumes

When it comes to Halloween costumes in Germany, they have to be scary. This is quite different from the U.S. since all costumes are acceptable but for Germans, joyful or happy costumes are saved for events like Karneval or Fasching. In fact, it’s culturally acceptable if you choose not to dress up at all as an adult since only 32% of people in Germany do it.

Pumpkins

Regarding pumpkins, some German households may decorate their pavements, houses, and apartments with them to celebrate the special occasion. You’ll even find German supermarkets with pumpkins and other squashes on display at the start of autumn while some places may have jack-o’-lantern decorations across the country.

Trick or Treat

Trick-or-treating in Germany is called Süßes oder Saures which translates to “sweets and sours” in English. Another term Germans use is Süßes sonst gibt’s Saures which translates to “give me sweets or there will be sour things”.

German children trick-or-treat by wandering from house to house like Americans. They ask for the sweets in the most childish way and they only stop by houses that have Halloween decorations or pumpkins outside of the home.

Some Germans even turn off their lights to repel trick-or-treating children from coming near their homes. This is something however that may not work in the States since American children don’t let anything hinder them. However, it is disappointing for a lot of German children that only 50% of German homes are open to giving them sweets.

Food

Regarding food during Halloween, Germans typically consume buffets, snacks, pizza, cupcakes, and finger food. In fact, some popular dishes include but are not limited to pumpkin soup and spicy deviled eggs. As for the drinks, hot apple punch and cold blood punch are the most popular but you might also see some other drinks like black currant juice and blood oranges.

What Halloween events and festivals are out there in Germany?

There are a lot of Halloween events and festivals in Germany you could go to celebrate the special occasion! For instance, pumpkin festivals are a great place to start as well as local clubs, bars, and theme parks. These events and festivals are organized between September and November and I’ve listed some popular ones below:

Halloween Europa Park

Known as the biggest amusement park in Germany, Europa Park organizes different events from October to November to celebrate Halloween. The park is divided into country-based themes around this time and decorated with Halloween decorations such as goblin loose, eerie sceneries, and vampires with pumpkins and squashes everywhere.

Ball Bizarre in Dresden

The Ball Bizarre is a club in Dresden, Germany. You can reach the club entrance by walking through the “path of death” which is underground and full of horror. Just make sure to come with a costume on before you arrive! If you forget to wear one you’ll stand out too easily making you easy prey for the monsters in the community.

Halloween at Legoland

If you’re spending Halloween in Germany with children, Legoland is the perfect place to take them! There are a lot of cute, fun, and scary activities to do at the theme park and there are thousands of pumpkin decorations that will make your kids smile. The treasure hunts at Legoland are also a hit for all the kids there and you don’t even have to worry about admission on Halloween since they get in for free with a costume.

Halloween at Burg Frankenstein

Halloween parties have been held at the Frankenstein castle since 1977. Germans still visit the castle today to celebrate Halloween since they hire about more than 100 actors to scare anyone who tries to visit the property. The tickets are about 25 euros for kids and 50 euros for adults. Plus, you can even book a three-course menu dinner there too!

Halloween Horror Festival at Movie Park Germany

Held at the movie park in Germany, the Halloween Horror Festival is a scary and terrifying event that’s filled with 250 zombies, ghouls, monsters, witches, mazes, beasts, and other nightmarish creatures. As a plus, they also have decorated rides for children and adults to enjoy.

Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival

Known as one of the world’s largest pumpkin exhibitions, the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival is held near Stuttgart every year and it has the most magical displays, seasonal food, and pumpkin carvings for the Halloween season. So, if you like winter squashes and pumpkin-related activities, you’ll have so much fun here. The exhibition starts in late August and it attracts so many visitors until December.

Why is Halloween in Germany less popular than in the United States?

Halloween in Germany is less popular than in the United States for many reasons. For one thing, the special occasion coincides with Reformation Day which is an official religious holiday in German Protestant regions. This creates a conflict between the Lutheran holiday and Halloween since some religious Germans view it as a pagan tradition.

Furthermore, there’s also been some backlash about Halloween from Germans since some have complained about the rise of the Halloween culture and the costumed trick-or-treaters.

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Overall, I hope you got the answer you were looking for in terms of the question “Do Germans celebrate Halloween?”. Please let me know in the comments down below what intrigued you the most about Halloween in Germany. I would love to hear from you!

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