Literally: “celebration evening” / meaning: end of the work day
To many people, Germany is synonymous with diligence and productivity. Yet, we don’t work any more than other Europeans—at least when measured with a stopwatch. The average German full-time employee spends 40.6 hours a week at work, which is even slightly less than the average EU citizen (40.7). Compared to leader Greece (43.8), they can therefore enjoy their Feierabend much earlier.
The word, however, does not have its origins in the German after-work party culture, but was originally used for the evening before a public holiday. In the 16th century, the term was reinterpreted under the influence of the language of the craftsmen to describe the “start of the rest time in the evening.” Defined as such, it has become an export hit. For example, it has entered the Polish and Czech languages as “fajrant” and “fajrumt,” respectively.
By the way, in both countries, the average weekly working time is longer than in Germany—so they have earned their Feierabendbier even more honorably.
