Time in Germany
Encyclopedia
Germany
uses Central European Time
(Mitteleuropäische Zeit, MEZ; UTC+01:00) and Central European Summer Time
(Mitteleuropäische Sommerzeit, MESZ; UTC+02:00). Daylight saving time
is observed from the last Sunday in March (02:00 CET) to the last Sunday in October (03:00 CEST). The doubled hour during the switch back to standard time is named 2A (02:00 to 03:00 CEST) and 2B (02:00 to 03:00 CET).
", although in 1945, the Trizone did not follow Berlin
's switch to midsummer time.
Additionally, Germany has been politically divided into East Germany and West Germany
even after the start of the unix epoch, which is the date from which on the tz database wants to record correct information. The rule "every country gets its one zone" seems not to be observed for Germany before re-unification.
was first introduced during World War I
by the German Empire
in the years 1916 to 1918. After the end of the war and the proclamation of the Weimar Republic
in November 1918, daylight saving time ceased to be observed in peace time. It was then introduced and abolished several times. In 1996, daylight saving time was harmonized throughout the European Union
by Directive 2000/84/EC, which moved the end of DST to the last Sunday in October.
In 1980 the exclave Büsingen
did not use DST.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
uses Central European Time
Central European Time
Central European Time , used in most parts of the European Union, is a standard time that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time . The time offset from UTC can be written as +01:00...
(Mitteleuropäische Zeit, MEZ; UTC+01:00) and Central European Summer Time
Central European Summer Time
Central European Summer Time is one of the names of the Daylight saving time offset using the UTC offset of UTC+02:00, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. It is used as a summer daylight saving time in most European countries. During the winter, Central European Time is used...
(Mitteleuropäische Sommerzeit, MESZ; UTC+02:00). Daylight saving time
Daylight saving time
Daylight saving time —also summer time in several countries including in British English and European official terminology —is the practice of temporarily advancing clocks during the summertime so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less...
is observed from the last Sunday in March (02:00 CET) to the last Sunday in October (03:00 CEST). The doubled hour during the switch back to standard time is named 2A (02:00 to 03:00 CEST) and 2B (02:00 to 03:00 CET).
tz database
Germany has the single tz database zone "Europe/BerlinEurope/Berlin
Europe/Berlin is a time zone identifier from the zone file of the tz database. The data is as follows: The reference point is Berlin.-Pre-1970 differences:...
", although in 1945, the Trizone did not follow Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
's switch to midsummer time.
Additionally, Germany has been politically divided into East Germany and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
even after the start of the unix epoch, which is the date from which on the tz database wants to record correct information. The rule "every country gets its one zone" seems not to be observed for Germany before re-unification.
History
Daylight saving timeDaylight saving time
Daylight saving time —also summer time in several countries including in British English and European official terminology —is the practice of temporarily advancing clocks during the summertime so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less...
was first introduced during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
by the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in the years 1916 to 1918. After the end of the war and the proclamation of the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
in November 1918, daylight saving time ceased to be observed in peace time. It was then introduced and abolished several times. In 1996, daylight saving time was harmonized throughout the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
by Directive 2000/84/EC, which moved the end of DST to the last Sunday in October.
In 1980 the exclave Büsingen
Büsingen
Büsingen am Hochrhein is a German town entirely surrounded by the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen and, south across the Rhine, by the cantons of Zürich and Thurgau. It has a population of about 1,450 inhabitants...
did not use DST.