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Halloween

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By way of American pop culture, Halloween has found its way into the hearts and minds of horror buffs in Hamburg.

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imago stock & people / Arnulf Hettrich

Only a few years ago, many North American expats still found late October in Germany somewhat bland. Kids in North Germany were still trick-or-treating on New Year’s Eve (the so-called 'Rummelpottlaufen') and All Hallows was little more than a regular workday. Through American movies and TV shows, however, Halloween slowly found its way into German culture.

In effect, Hamburg’s chilly October nights are now regularly haunted by many a ghost, vampire and zombie. Spooky costumes and decorations like the indispensable jack-o-lanterns have been heartily adopted by people in Germany. What’s more, every year in autumn, Halloween-themed dinners, movie nights and parties attract plenty of people — often granting costume discounts. Hamburg Dungeon expands its already scary-good array of shows by a special Halloween treat and Ballinstadt Emigration Museum hosts a child-oriented ghost-and-candy hunt.

Parties

The unassuming visitor might be surprised to see many parties taking place on 30 October: a day too early. This is no coincidence. 31 October is an official public holiday in Hamburg, which means that most people won't have to get up early for work.