Totensonntag


Totensonntag, also called Ewigkeitssonntag or Totenfest, is a Northern German and Dutch Protestant religious holiday commemorating the dead. It falls on the last Sunday before the First of the Sundays of Advent, and it is the last Sunday of the liturgical year in the German Evangelical Church and the Protestantse Kerk in The Netherlands. Where it is marked, such as in Berlin, it replaces All Souls' Day.

History

In 1816, King Frederick William III of Prussia made his cabinet pass a decree that stated all Lutheran churches in the areas under Prussian rule had to observe the last Sunday before Advent as a "general celebration in memorial of the deceased". Other Lutheran churches in the remainder of Germany followed, eventually, as well.
In the United States, some Protestant churches celebrate this service of remembrance as Totenfest..

Special protection

Totensonntag is a protected holiday in all German states. The holiday laws of all federal states, with the exception of Hamburg, have special provisions, classifying Totensonntag either as a memorial day or a "silent day" which implies special restrictions. Depending on the state, music may not be played in public venues or only at certain hours, and dancing is forbidden as well.