Reformation Day is usually only a holiday in the five East German states. For this year only, the remaining states declared it a legal holiday, too, because of the importance of this anniversary.
They now intend to make Reformation Day an official holiday in the whole of Germany via a Bundesrat bill. To declare a day a legal federal holiday, both chambers of parliament have to approve it by a two-third majority, as the Basic law has to be amended.
Note that the Catholic states have way more legal holidays than the Protestant states. For example, the Day of Prayer and Repentance in the middle of November used to be a holiday in Schleswig-Holstein till 1993; now only the Saxons have a free day on that date. Augsburg, Bavaria, on the other hand - a single city !!! - has 14 official holidays. (I have a friend who lives in Augsburg, but works in one of its suburbs and therefore has to work on August 8.
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