On Sundays in Germany, most shops and supermarkets are closed, and legal "quiet hours" (Ruhezeit) are enforced all day to ensure rest. You cannot perform loud activities like drilling, mowing the lawn, using washing machines, vacuuming, or disposing of glass bottles, as these are prohibited by law.
German supermarkets, as well as clothes shops, bookshops and pharmacies, are all closed on Sundays. Sunday is a “quiet day” in Germany, and a law adopted in 1950 prohibits shops from opening so people can enjoy recreational activities and time with family and friends.
Why can't you throw away glass on Sunday in Germany?
Here - just like for residential glass containers - you are expected to avoid the noisy task during "Ruhezeiten," or quiet times, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm and after 8:00 pm on weekdays, as well as on Sundays and public holidays.
Run the washing machine, mow your lawn, or vacuum your house on a Sunday and you might end up with a complaint from your neighbours, a fine, or in the worst case scenario, even end up in court.
The commonly agreed upon quiet hours in Germany (Ruhezeit time period) are from 10pm to 6/7am on weekdays and the entire day on Sundays, although there can be some exceptions in different cities or if your landlord imposes other rules as well. Ruhezeit also applies to all public holidays for the entire day.
Germans Asked, “How Do You Spend Sundays?” 🇩🇪 | Answers Surprise Americans?
Can I clean my house on Sunday in Germany?
In Germany Sunday is also called “Ruhetag”, which translates to “day of rest” (literally meaning “quiet day”). This means that all chores, particularly noisy ones like mowing the lawn or vacuum cleaning the house will have to wait until the next week.
Sundays, however, are considered quiet time for the entire day. These German Sunday laws mean you're not allowed to: Do loud DIY jobs, like hammering or drilling. Play loud music music, or hold noisy gatherings.
Don't worry, of course, you can still do your everyday routines during quiet hours in Germany. You can flush the toilet, take a bath or shower at night as usual.
It is a combination of labor (higher hourly rates outside of regular business hours) and other laws (in some areas shops may only open for a certain number of hours per week).
On 1 May 2025, the reform of German law regarding married and birth names and of international naming law will come into force. This will provide both German and binational families with new options. The current regulations will remain in force for marriages and births before 1 May 2025.
Please use the large public bottle banks near your home for disposing of old glass bottles and jars. Sort them into the three colors green, clear and brown. Glass of any other color should be put in the bottle bank for green glass.
Having a loud conversation, talking loud on the phone, or listening to loud music are considered very impolite as you will disturb other people. German people love to have their privacy. If you see a closed door, it doesn't mean that the person inside does not want you to come in.
Sundays and public holidays are quiet days. On other days, the quiet hours are from 22:00 to 6:00. You can't use certain machines between 20:00 and 7:00.
Cleaning your home on a Sunday is a great way to round off the weekend and get into a productive mindset. It can also help you reduce stress throughout the week—giving you less to handle at home while you're juggling work, the school run (and countless other tasks).
“Erika” is not an innocent song to be joked about - there's the weight of history and cultural connotations behind it. In Germany, you can literally get arrested by doing the N4Z1 hand gesture, or singing the first stanza of our national anthem.
Can you hang your washing out on a Sunday in Germany?
Yeah apparently it's illegal to hang laundry outside (where it's visible from the road) on a Sunday. You know how Germans are with their Sunday obsession.
In 1938, Hitler's main slogan, heavily used during the Anschluss (union with Austria), was "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer" (One People, One Nation, One Leader), reinforcing the Nazi cult of personality and the idea of German unity under his absolute rule, as seen in posters promoting the annexation vote.
The three unwritten rules that define German work culture are punctuality and detailed planning, maintaining clear boundaries between professional and personal life, and using direct communication in all workplace interactions.
In the Federal Republic of Germany, the Ladenschlussgesetz or "Shop Closing Law" (abbreviated: LadSchlG) is the federal "blue law" compelling retail stores to close to the public on Sundays and Christian holidays.
Generally speaking, all foreigners require a visa for stays in Germany. A visa is not required for visits of up to 90 days in an 180 day period for nationals of those countries for which the European Community has abolished the visa requirement. Indian citizens require a visa.
The Domestic Work and Music Noise Ordinance generally stipulates a night-time quiet period between 10 pm and 7 am and a midday quiet period between 12 pm and 3 pm for domestic and gardening work that disturbs the peace.
In Munich, according to a 2023 ruling, a maximum of four barbecues per month are permitted, but not on two consecutive public holidays or weekends (Ref.: 1 S 7620/22 WEG).
