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A nearly traditional discussion in media and politics is to give up the German Unity Day and make it a normal workday for economic reasons. This discussion is only made up to get noticed by the media. No real steps where ever taken to abandon the Unity day.
I am sorry I can not agree, matteroffactly it was Tuesday this year. I can also see no direct connection between the Day Of Unity and the Munich Oktoberfest.
However, I would like to have an editor added this from your comment:
Unlike in most other countries the flags on private houses, military parades and fire works are not common on this day in germany.
And I would like to add: Instead it is common to broadcast on public TV movies and documentaries about the GDR/BRD history of the two formerly divided states. --Alwin, not logged in
The event usually takes place during the 16 days up to and including the first Sunday in October, but if this day is the 1st or 2nd then the festival will go on until the October 3rd (German Unity Day). Thus, the festival is 17 days when the 1st Sunday is October 2nd and 18 days when it is October 1st.
I'm curious do they have a day for when the various German states like Prussia and Bavaria were united? Jamhaw 20:26, 3 October 2007 (UTC)jamhaw[reply]
That would be the Empire Foundation day, 18 January (of 1871), though that wasn't the formal unification, but the proclaiming of the title Emperor for William I (the German Empire had been a Federation for a few months before, I believe since December 1st or something), which however functions as a symbol to this uniting procedure. Yet 18 January happened to be the Crowning Day of Prussia's first king Frederick I and William I, more proud of his Prussian heritage than of his new position, didn't want a Prussian holiday to be "spent", so it was somewhat forgotten even in Imperial times and the celebrations were mostly held on the Sedan Victory Day (2 September (of 1870)), which we won't celebrate any more due to Franco-German friendship. --217.189.243.206 (talk) 14:30, 5 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]
" It commemorates the anniversary of German reunification in 1990, when the goal of a unity of Germany that originated in the middle of the 19th century, was fulfilled. "
Maybe add an "again" or some word that reflects the fact that german unity was already achieved in 1871, this way it sounds like it was fulfilled for the first time in history.. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.15.173.250 (talk) 09:29, 3 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]
That sentence needs to be changed altogether since it is factually wrong. There was no "reunification", neither in name nor in fact. The GDR officially desolved and its territory joined the FRG. The former chancellor Kohl scolded politicians on all sides multiple times, even yelling at them, for calling it a reunification and fiercly rejected any attempts to achieve any such thing. Not then, not ever. The reason being that Germany intentionally does not have a constitution, it has a "Grundgesetz". Upon reunification, an article would have been triggered, that would have forced said Grundgesetz (that was written and voted upon by only the West of Germany) to be retired and the nation in unity was to give itself a proper constitution for all German people. The Grundgesetz was supposed to be temporary in nature. The new constition was meant to be written and voted upon by all German citizens in West AND East. Chancellor Kohl, however, violently rejecetd the idea of having people in the East of Germany involved in any such process and denied them any right of having equal say in the process as a whole. He also rejected more symbolic attempts like finding a common flag or common national anthem, to the point where Kohl according to eye-witnesses stormed out of the negotiations yelling and stomping his feet. Instead Kohl constructed a unification of territory only, designed explicitely to not trigger the article. This act was meant to reflect the idea that the West of Germany won and the East of Germany lost. The corresponding article of the Grundgesetz, asking for a common constitution, was later removed. The fact that there never was a "reunification" was incredibly important to the former chancellor, and it is incredibly important to understand how and why there was resentment on both sides in the decades that followed, as the West was de facto treating the East like a defeated country in many regards. 213.61.141.198 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 09:24, 3 October 2020 (UTC)[reply]
Reference-situation taken care of - request removal of template[edit]
I've added several references, mainly taken from the German article. As I do not want to ninja-remove the template, I hereby formally request the removal of the respective banner-template. This will also FINALLY make it possible for German Unity Day being rightfully mentioned in the "On This Day" box on the Main Page (after YEARS of absence)... --37ophiuchi (talk) 20:30, 3 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]
I removed it before I saw the request ;) - Thanks for your improvements! --Gerda Arendt (talk) 20:39, 3 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]
