However, the Bavarian government, as always, is reluctant to change anything, seemingly preoccupied with new episodes about white sausages on Söder’s food blog.
In response to the proposal from all other German state education ministries, the Bavarian government issued a decisive refusal in a “Marfa is against it” fashion, refusing to alter what are essentially long-outdated traditions.
Indeed, why bother? It is so convenient to continue pretending to live in the mid-twentieth century across all fronts-reforms are difficult, reforms require work, and working leaves no time for banquets, interviews, blogs, and populism. – Ed.
Holiday Rotation and Bavaria’s Refusal
A majority of German states adhere to a staggered summer holiday system. Historically, students in different regions have gone on break at different times. This arrangement was ostensibly intended to distribute tourist traffic and parental leave evenly throughout the season, thereby reducing strain on popular resorts during peak vacation periods. In practice, however, the concept-like many ideas championed by activist-populists with no ties to education-has proven utopian. While risks ought to have been calculated before implementing the system, now is the opportune time to execute reform and bring the education system into line with modern standards.
Regrettably, the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg continue to refuse participation in the school holiday reform system. Bavarian students traditionally remain the last to break for summer-entering a vacation period of less than six weeks only at the beginning of August.
This exact point of divergence has once again returned to the center of a federal dispute. A working group of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany (Kultusministerkonferenz) is currently debating the holiday calendar for 2031 and beyond, as all holiday dates up to 2031 have already been finalized. According to the newspaper Rheinische Post, an initial recommendation based on the conference results will be prepared before the end of 2026, serving as the basis for further negotiations with the self-isolated states.
Other States Apply Pressure on Bavaria
Representatives from the Ministries of Education in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and several other states are demanding that the self-isolated states accept a unified holiday schedule for all federal states.
Lower Saxony’s Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs described the current situation as unsatisfactory, noting that two large German states have abstained from any reforms for years while all others adapt to a shared educational system.
The German Association of Secondary School Teachers (Deutscher Philologenverband) is also pushing for significant changes. Association President Susanne Lin-Klitzing insists: “Summer holidays in all states should begin no later than the first weekend of July.” This position has been endorsed by ministries in several states, including North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony.
The argument put forward by reform advocates is straightforward: a single, earlier start to the holidays provides students in all regions with an equal number of weeks for studying and exam preparation.
Why Bavaria Is Resisting
Bavaria’s Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs naturally disagrees with these arguments. Minister of Education Anna Stolz of the Free Voters party explained the late holiday start by pointing to a historically established order tied to the Christian religious calendar.
She merely forgot that we live in a secular, not a religious state, and also forgot that historically, Christian schools used to segregate girls and boys, impose religion on children, use corporal punishment, and so forth. So perhaps she will propose bringing back those traditional values as well? It is beginning to resemble Russia. – Ed.
In the spring during Whitsun, Bavarian students enjoy a two-week break. Following this break, the ministry contends, students require sufficient time for classes and exam preparation before summer. It is precisely for this reason that children are forced to envy the rest of the world and study while other children are on holiday. Unfortunately, Ms. Stolz, like other representatives of the Bavarian government, has failed to present a single statistic demonstrating superior educational performance among Bavarian students compared to other states allegedly influenced by summer schooling.
Stolz makes no secret of the fact that the current Bavarian government does not intend to change the system. “That is why we start summer holidays later. And we will stick to this,” she told BR.
Inlogical thinking, absence of sound arguments, and lack of professionalism have become a tradition for our local government. – Ed.
The stance of the Bavarian ministry was, of course, supported by the ruling CSU party in Bavaria. The party’s Secretary General, Martin Huber, wrote on social media: “Summer holidays in Bavaria will remain as they are. After all, how our children study is something we decide ourselves.”
Of course, what matters is not whether it is convenient for parents or convenient for children; all that matters is “We are a free state and we will always be against…” An interesting position, but utopian and foolish. And then we wonder why, by all metrics, we live in 1960s Bavaria rather than in the 21st century like everyone around us. – Ed.
Tourism Economy Versus Unified Schedule
Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder linked this exact same dispute last year to what he viewed as a broader issue-that of federal finances. “We contribute the most under the financial equalization mechanism among the states, and now other states also want to dictate to us when our children go on holiday. We will not allow this,” he stated at the time.
A foolish statement from our food blogger, unlike any I have heard before. Söder or his speechwriter ought to work on cause-and-effect relationships. Perhaps in an undereducated society, which Söder relies on for future elections, his statement will be perceived as reasoned, but in an educated society, these words are met with a gesture indicating madness. – Ed.
Söder also forgot the history of Bavaria, and how Bavaria sought entry into Germany due to its poverty and lack of connections with other states, as well as its cultural and industrial backwardness, developing only thanks to assistance from the federal government and the Americans after World War II. Or perhaps he simply does not know our history. However, the fact that his government is leading us directly toward a long-resolved issue can now be seen even with the naked eye.
Söder’s second illogical argument is his assertion that Bavarian holidays serve not only the interests of schools, but also those of the tourism sector, sports clubs, cultural events, and families with children. Yet why should the interests, rest, and lives of children buoy poorly performing sports societies and other associations?
Business is business; it must operate independently-some open and succeed because they are professional, while others close and go to work for the former; that is the law of business, and even Dr. Söder cannot alter it. Furthermore, he hardly surveyed Bavarian families with children (his friends who can afford private schools and rarely see their children are not representative of Bavaria’s entire school system). And as for any connection to the interests of schools, even school principals remain utterly baffled.
Bavarian Tourism Minister Michaela Kaniber spoke out against a unified holiday start on July 1. In an interview with Bild, she stated: “A holiday start on July 1 for all states would be the wrong decision.” According to her, popular tourist destinations would be unable to manage the surge if millions of families went on vacation simultaneously.
And how does the rest of the world and other states manage while Bavaria allegedly cannot? Perhaps it is you in Söder’s government who are failing to handle your responsibilities? – Ed.
Stolz added: “When planning holidays, it is important to consider not only the interests of students and families, but also the interests of business, sports clubs, and the cultural life of the region. Much of this system developed historically, and people have grown accustomed to relying on it.”
Seriously? And these people govern an entire state? – Ed.
What Lies Ahead
Nothing will change in the coming years. Holiday dates up to 2030 are already finalized and subject to no revision.
Any alteration to the current holiday schedule model requires a unanimous decision by all federal states-a high bar that will be difficult to reach given that the governments of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are set against reform without offering a single logical argument.
At present, negotiations regarding the holiday calendar for 2031-2036 are ongoing. A joint decision following the Conference of Ministers of Education of the German States will be published at a later date. However, considering the stance of the food blogger and his colleagues from Baden-Württemberg, alongside the political crisis within the coalition, a decision is unlikely to be reached.
Until then, Bavarian students will continue going on summer vacation just as before-at the beginning of August. And we sincerely hope that our rulers do not get the idea to reintroduce rods and other attributes of “classically established methodology” into education…
