March
Click on the date to see what events happened in German, Swiss, and Austrian history. It includes birthdays and death anniversaries of historic personalities, cultural and historic events, fun and public holidays, and any other interesting events that happened or are associated with a certain date in March.
Click on the name of a month to jump to that month.
This is not a comprehensive list and I aim to update it whenever I can.
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Happenings and Events in March 2025
Women’s History Month
Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month
- Bleeding disorders (Blutungsstörung, Blutgerinnungssstörung) are conditions where the blood can’t clot properly. They are also called coagulopathy.
- One of the most known bleeding disorders is hemophilia (haemophilia B.E.).
- The name “hemophilia” was coined in 1828 by Dr. Johann Lukas Schönlein and his student Friedrich Hopff at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. The condition had been known for centuries, often the people suffering from it were called ‘bleeders’ (Bluter). The two physicians called it ‘haemorrhaphilia” which was shortened to the now common term ‘h(a)emophilia’.
- Johann Lukas Schönlein (1793-1864) was a German physician, pathologist, medical historian, paleobotanist, and is considered the founder of the modern clinical method in Germany. In addition to hemophilia, he is also credited with the term ‘tuberculosis’.
February 27-March 5: Karneval/Fasching/Fasnacht
- The date of Karneval depends on Easter. Ash Wednesday starts the 40-day lent season (Fastenzeit).
- There are many regional differences (hence the many different names), but the areas where Carnival is celebrated largest are the west of Germany (Rhineland), the south-west (Swabian-Alemannic Fasnet), and the south.
- February 27: Weiberfastnacht (Carnival Thursday), when the Karneval takes to the streets
- March 3: Rosenmontag (Shrove Monday)
- March 4: Faschingsdienstag (Carnival Tuesday)
- March 5: Aschermittwoch (Ash Wednesday)
March 1: First Day of Ramadan
- Adult Muslims all over the world begin their fasting period in which they are not allowed to eat or drink from dawn to dusk. Other than fasting (sawm), Muslims are supposed to focus on prayer (salah), reflection, and community.
- Observing Ramadan is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.
- The pre-dawn meal is called suhur, the nightly meal iftar.
- The typical greeting on that day is “Eid Mubarak”, “Ramadan Mubarak”, or “Ramadan Kareem” which means blessed feast or blessed/generous Ramadan.
- Ramadan ends when the first crescent moon after the new moon has been sighted or when 30 days have passed. It is celebrated with Eid al-Fitr, often called Zuckerfest in German(y).
March 2: Tag der Kranken (Day of the Sick), Switzerland
- Celebrated since 1939
- First Sunday in March
- Events in hospitals and nursing homes, concerts, services, and solidarity events
- Raise awareness for one theme within “Health and Sickness” (Gesundheit und Krankheit)
- Motto in 2025: Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe (Capacity Building)
- Read more here: www.tagderkranken.ch
March 2: 97th Academy Awards (Oscars), U.S.
- The movie “Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums” (original title: دانهی انجیر معابد, English: The Seed of the Sacred Fig) is nominated in the category “Best international Film”. The film was a co-production of Iran, Germany, and France, and directed by Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasulof. The movie was submitted as a German contribution to the Academy. Watch the trailer with English subtitles here.
- Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum und Alex David are nominated for “September 5” as Best Original Screenplay. The movie tells the story of the Munich massacre at the Olympic Games in 1972 from the perspective of ABC Sports newscasters. During the attack, Palestinians of the terrorist group Black September took Israeli athletes hostage and eventually murdered them. Watch the trailer here.
- In 1936 and 1937, German actress Luise Rainer won the Academy Award for Best Actress back to back. In 1936, she won for “The Great Ziegfeld”, and in 1937 for “The Good Earth”. Read more about her here.
March 8/9: Tag der offenen Töpferei (Open House in Potteries), Germany
- Second weekend in March
- 520 pottery workshops are opening their doors to visitors
- Sonderaktion: over 100 potters have designed bowls for this occassion
- Find participating workshops and more here: www.tag-der-offenen-toepferei.de
March 9: Daylight Savings Time in the U.S.
March 10-12: Basler Fastnacht, Switzerland
- The Basel Carnival, also called die drey scheenschte Dääg (the three most beautiful days) starts on Monday morning at 4am with the Morgestraich (Morgenstreich, AE: morning taps), lasts 72 hours ending with the Ändstraich Thursday morning at 4am.
- When the Catholic church decided that they would allow Sundays as a break during the 40 day fasting period leading up to Easter, they needed to add 6 days to Lent and moved Ash Wednesday to an earlier date. But Basel didn’t and they stuck to the original dates.
March 22-23: Krokusblütenfest (Crocus blossom festival) in Husum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
- 4-5 million crocuses bloom in the palace park (Schlosspark) in Husum.
- Until 2015, it was assumed it was ‘crocus neapolitanus’, however newer research identified the crocuses as ‘crocus neglectus’, a species native to Tuscany.
- Saturday and Sunday of the Krokusblütenfest start with the coronation of the Krokusblütenmajestät (crocus blossom majesty) and continue with music, food, theater, an artisan and crafts market, sightseeing tours, a floristry competition, exhibitions, and shopping (even on Sundays).
- Find out more here: www.husum-tourismus.de.
March 28-May 11: Tulip Festival in Morges, Switzerland
- Over 140,000 flowers and 350 varieties of tulips
- 2025 festival is centered on the theme “water”.
- Read more here: www.morges-tourisme.ch.
March 30: Daylight Savings Time starts in Europe
