German Christmas Markets Not Canceled for 2025, Reports DW

German Christmas Markets Proceed Despite Social Media Misinformation Campaign

Despite Christmas still being months away, Germany’s supermarkets are already stocked with gingerbread, Advent calendars and festive decorations as the country prepares for its celebrated holiday season. Meanwhile, a false claim circulating on social media has sparked unnecessary concern by suggesting that all Christmas markets in Germany have been canceled for 2025.

The viral misinformation has spread across multiple platforms. A TikTok video captioned “Christmas is around the corner, Germany is CANCELLING their markets… and it also looks like other places in Europe are going to do the same,” garnered over 600,000 views. On X (formerly Twitter), a post claiming “HUNDREDS OF CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN GERMANY CANCELLED” reached more than 440,000 views. Some users even proclaimed “Germany Cancels Christmas” in viral posts across Instagram and X, accumulating over half a million views.

These alarming claims have no basis in reality. Germany hosts approximately 2,500 Christmas markets annually, known locally as Adventsmarkt, Christkindlmarkt or Weihnachtsmarkt. The famous Striezelmarkt in Dresden alone typically attracts 2.5 million visitors each year. While there have been isolated cancellations of smaller local markets, there is no evidence of widespread closures across the country.

Most markets are scheduled to open from late November as planned. Berlin will host over 60 markets this year, with numerous others being organized in major cities including Leipzig, Dresden, Cologne, Frankfurt, and Hamburg. In fact, many are already being set up.

German media have reported only a few confirmed cancellations. In Rostock, a historical Christmas market—already canceled last year—will not return in 2025. In Hamburg’s Rahlstedt district, the local market was called off after stallholders chose not to participate due to low revenues in the previous season. The romantic Christmas market at Dortmund’s historic Bodelschwingh Castle has been canceled for both 2025 and 2026, but only because of extensive renovations at the venue.

The source of the viral claim appears to be a dubious article published on October 18, 2025, by J&M Duna Press, which describes itself as part of an independent communication and education group. The article claims smaller towns are canceling markets due to “unaffordable security costs” stemming from recent terror attacks, but mentions only two specific examples: Rheinfeld and Schongau.

When contacted by DW, officials in Schongau responded clearly: “The 2025 Christmas market will take place as usual.” The city of Dormagen, which includes a district named Rheinfeld, stated: “In previous years, there was no Christmas market in Dormagen’s district of Rheinfeld—and none is planned for 2025 either.” The official website of Rheinfelden (which may have been misspelled in the original article) confirms that its 2025 Christmas market is scheduled to proceed.

The Duna Press article contains other unsupported claims, such as German stores and public venues “phasing out pork products” to avoid offending Muslim residents—an assertion with no basis in fact. The article concludes by suggesting fear and accommodation are “eroding the fabric of German heritage.”

Further investigation raises serious questions about the publication’s credibility. The article’s author, Bianca Firenze, has no verifiable background, biography, or social media presence linked on the site. She began contributing to Duna Press in August 2024, mostly writing about health and horoscopes before suddenly publishing several articles in October 2025 focused on Germany’s alleged decline, using sensationalist language and lacking credible sources.

All images on the site, including author portraits, appear to be AI-generated. The only contributor with a real photo and social media profiles is Paulo Fernando de Barros, listed as managing editor. Duna Press Magazine’s social media profiles have very few followers, with posts receiving minimal interaction—suggesting limited credibility or audience trust.

While security costs for Christmas markets have indeed risen since attacks in Berlin (2016) and Magdeburg (2024), this hasn’t led to widespread cancellations. In Magdeburg, security expenses are expected to nearly double this year from €80,000 to €150,000. Standard security measures now include concrete barriers, bag checks, video surveillance and retractable roadblocks, developed by organizers and approved by local authorities.

In smaller towns, municipalities often help cover these costs. Despite rising expenses and the need to adjust some markets to accommodate security measures, Germany’s Christmas market tradition remains vibrant and largely intact for the upcoming holiday season.