There is a strict ban on dancing on Good Friday. On the day Jesus died on the cross, discos and clubs are not allowed to offer dance events. If they violate this, they face fines. The discos in the Sigmaringen district have been criticizing this regulation for years.
There are no events at the Mausefalle in Bad Saulgau on the quiet days. The discotheque only opens its doors again on the evening of Holy Saturday. However, owner Ulf Braig has no understanding of the current ban on dancing.
Germany is now a multicultural society with different faiths. The Christian-based ban on dancing is no longer appropriate, he says.
Discotheque in the district violates the ban on dancing
Neff Beser, owner of Alfons X in Sigmaringen, also considers the current ban to be out of date. “This has been long overdue,” he says. The ban is not punished in large cities anyway. Only in smaller cities would the public order office even bother to monitor the ban. In the “Alfons” there is a ban on dancing on Good Friday. Instead of a disco evening, there will be a poetry slam.
The Ritterhof discotheque advertises the “Party Weekend” via Facebook. (Photo: Screenshot SZ, Facebook page Discotheque Ritterhof (as of March 27, 24, 3:02 p.m.))
But it’s not just in big cities that the ban isn’t viewed quite as strictly. The Ritterhof discotheque in Meßkirch even hosts a “party weekend” over Easter. Three DJs will perform over four days. It is one of the last events in the “Ritter”. The disco closes at the end of April. The room will subsequently be used as refugee accommodation.
Disco-goers face no punishment
Good Friday is not the only quiet day in the southwest; Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday are also particularly protected. “In Baden-Württemberg there is a complete ban on dancing from Maundy Thursday, 6 p.m., to Holy Saturday, 8 p.m.,” said Katharina Lutz-Schädler, press spokeswoman for the state Ministry of the Interior, when asked.
Organizers who violate the dance ban face a maximum fine of 1,500 euros. In Bavaria there is even a risk of fines of up to 10,000 euros.
Violating the public holiday law is not a criminal offense, but merely an administrative offense. Incidentally, disco-goers do not have to fear any fines. In the worst case scenario, you risk being reprimanded.
On Good Friday there is not only a ban on dancing, there are also other restrictions. In principle, events can only take place if they “serve to honor the holiday or serve a greater interest in art, science or public education,” as Lutz-Schädler explains. Public sporting events are generally prohibited.