Beers and Handcarts – Father's Day in Germany

The Bible describes that Jesus remained with his disciples for 40 days after his resurrection at Easter before he actually ascended to heaven. Thus, the exact date of Ascension depends on Easter and varies slightly from year to year. It is, however, always a thursday – which is why many Germans use this holiday as an occasion for a long weekend including a short vacation or a family trip. Since Christians believe that Jesus ascended to heaven to his father on that day, Ascension Day was colloquially referred to as Father's Day in the Middle Ages – which is why, unlike many other countries, Father's Day always takes place on Ascension Day in Germany. Likewise, its customs are influenced by the history of the Christian Holiday.

In the Middle Ages, prayer processions were often held on Ascension Day. They went to fields and meadows and prayed for a good harvest for instance. In the 16th century the tradition of the so-called "Herrenpartie" (men’s outing) developed from this (especially in East Germany Father's Day is still often called Herren- or Männertag, meaning mister’s or men’s day). Adolescent boys were to be introduced to the world of men here. Among its most important components were, of course, alcohol and tobacco. At the end of the 19th century, in the area around Berlin, the current form of Father's Day celebrations (whose exact characteristics you will find in the following section) came up and quickly became more and more popular among male Germans. In 1934, Ascension Day was then declared an official holiday in Germany.

According to its name, traditionally only men celebrate Father's Day. Usually, they go on a long hike or for a ride together, during which they have a good drink or two. According to the processions on fields and meadows, the enthusiastic drinkers are often still drawn to nature. The destinations of the excursions are however quite varying: some go to inns or pubs, in some places there are outdoor events in the afternoon to which the local youth make a pilgrimage, while others set their sights on the house of a friend or acquaintance, for example to barbecue or simply continue drinking. In order to be able to take enough drinks with them for such a frequently several hours long hike, the men traditionally have handcarts or wheelbarrows with them. Those who prefer to ride out rather than hike often bring bicycle trailers with them or are on the road with carriages or old tractors including trailers. These carts are often not only specially rebuilt and decorated for Father's Day but also used exclusively on this day of the year. In some places it is also customary for the actual fathers to be relieved of the obligation to provide beer – the bachelors are responsible for this that day. However, it is often the young people and young adults who go on Father's Day tours.

Most of the customs described above are still relevant today, but Father's Day is not immune to developments and social changes either. Although there are still many groups who insist on spending Father's Day entirely among men, women and girlfriends often join them at least for the final barbecue or open-air events. Particularly in recent years, more and more women's or mixed groups are celebrating Father's Day traditions as well. The handcarts and tractors have also been adapted to modern technology: nowadays many of them not only transport beer but also music systems and boxes and try to outdo each other in volume and portable party potential.

Father's Day is definitely a typical German party tradition, the discovery of which can certainly be a lot of fun, especially for party people. To spend a (more or less) traditional Father's Day you don't need much: a few good friends, a good supply of alcohol and a nice place to hike, cycle or just hang out. In some cities, there are also larger public tours that you can join. However, as long as the weather is reasonably good, the usual parks and green corners of the cities will be good places to meet other celebrants. Additionally, in many places, there are open-air events, concerts and parties in the evening that can be set as tour destinations. Less funny is the fact that on Ascension Day the number of alcohol-related traffic accidents usually climbs to an annual high and is thus three times as high as on an average day. It is therefore advisable to keep your eyes and ears open – especially on Father's Day and after large amounts of alcohol – and above all to be careful on busy roads. With this little warning in mind, we hope that you will be able to enjoy the festivities to the fullest and with strong sunshine J