Germany’s 16 states locked in row over dates of school summer holidays

Two southern states cling to past ruling that children are needed for harvest and claim the latest, most favoured slot

Germany's 16 states are locked in a fierce row over when they are able to take their summer school holidays, with the southernmost two accused of permanently hogging the best slots on the grounds that their children are required to help bring in the harvest.

Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg are resisting calls from the other 14 federal states to join the long-held national rotation system of school summer holidays that the other states take part in.