As of: March 31, 2024 3:01 a.m
With the time change on March 31, 2024, summer time has begun again. On the night of Easter Sunday the clocks were set forward one hour. It now stays light longer in the evening and dark longer again in the morning.
Together with Germany, all EU states and most European neighboring states switched back to Central European Summer Time (CEST) on the weekend of March 30th to 31st. At 2 o’clock the clocks were set forward to 3 o’clock. This meant that Easter Sunday night was 60 minutes shorter than usual.
EU cannot agree on a time zone
Since its introduction in 1980, there has been debate about the sense and nonsense of the time change. The European Union has been planning its abolition since 2018. Previously, in an online survey – albeit with very low participation – a large number of Europeans wanted the end of summer time, especially the Germans. The European Parliament voted for it in 2019, but postponed the end to 2021. The plans have been on hold since then.
The problem: The EU wants to avoid changing time zones from country to country. The member states should therefore agree on whether summer time will apply permanently in the future or the current standard time, Central European Time. However, there is no agreement in sight, although many scientists recommend standard time.
Time change and health
Doctors are against permanent daylight saving time
Sleep doctors in particular are in favor of a standard time all year round. According to their argument, the argument against permanent summer time is that in winter it would be too light in the evenings and too dark in the mornings. The further north of Germany you are, the later the sun would rise. So people would get tired later, but still have to get up early in the morning. In addition, it would be more difficult for them to wake up in prolonged darkness. The result would be lack of sleep. If this lasts longer, your health could suffer.
Forward or back?
A mnemonic helps when turning the clock: in the spring the garden chairs are placed IN FRONT of the house – in the fall BACK in the basement.
The train is temporarily out of sync
The changeover is also always a challenge for Deutsche Bahn. Although there are only a few passenger trains running at night, the missing hour disrupts their timetable. According to its own statements, the railway is trying to shorten the scheduled stops of night trains so that they arrive on time in the morning. If that is not possible, they will reach their destination late. The railway sent freight trains on their journey earlier on the night of the time change if this was possible.
Back to standard time on October 27th
The time change always takes place on the last Sunday of March and October. In 2024, daylight saving time ends on October 27th. The central command for all radio clocks comes from the Federal Physical and Technical Institute in Braunschweig.
Time changes have been around for a long time
Since 1980, clocks have been changed from Central European Time to summer time in spring. It was originally introduced to save energy because it stays light longer in the evening. According to the Federal Environment Agency, however, this expectation has not been fulfilled: Although people turn on the lights less often in the evening, they heat more in the morning hours in spring and autumn. The total balances out.
The first attempts to change the time occurred more than 100 years ago: in 1916, during the First World War, the German Reich was the first country in the world to introduce summer time. With the end of the war in 1918, the project came to an end.
Further information
15 Min
On November 7, 1979, the federal government decreed the introduction of summer time. The premiere is in spring 1980. 15 min
Commuters drive to work an hour earlier, while wild animals cross the road at dusk. more
2 Min
In the sleep laboratory, doctors examine the influence of the time change on sleep. Daylight saving time has been controversial for years. 2 mins
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Visit | March 19, 2024 | 8:15 p.m