A Volkswagen plant in Germany sends staff off on their big summer break with a chorus of 'trumpets, trombones and drums'

The Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, Germany circa 1945.

Three Lions/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

• Volkswagen closes its Wolfsburg factory for three weeks every summer when workers go on vacation.
• The automaker gives employees a send-off with an orchestra and a meal, Bloomberg reported.  
• Unlike the US, it's common in European countries to take a long summer vacation.

A Volkswagen factory in Germany shuts down for a three-week summer vacation each year, kicking off the long summer break with a "chorus of trumpets, trombones and drums," Bloomberg reported.  

The Wolfsburg-based plant also hands its employees a traditional German dish called currywurst — a sausage with curry sauce and fries — as they finish their last shift before the break. 

Photos shared on the company's Group Culture Facebook page show "The Big Band of the Volkswagen Philharmonic Orchestra" playing music to workers as they leave the factory for the summer.

It's been a tradition for many decades and is a key part of the culture of the German automaker.

"The summer holidays have begun at the Wolfsburg plant," the caption says. "What could be better than saying goodbye to your colleagues for a well-deserved holiday with the sounds of jazz?"

Around 22,000 workers at the Wolfsburg factory were given a vacation between July 17 and August 4 this year, per Bloomberg.

During that time, business in the town slows, but it puts on art exhibitions, concerts, and a musical festival at the local Autostadt museum, the report says.  

It's common for workers in some European countries such as France, Sweden, and Italy, to take a long summer vacation, even for an entire month.

European out-of-offices: “I’m away camping for the summer. Email again in September”

American out-of-offices: “I have left the office for two hours to undergo kidney surgery but you can reach me on my cell anytime”

— Samuel Pollen (@samuel_pollen) April 30, 2021

Employees in France are federally mandated to take "main leave," and many offices and shops close for the big holidays, or "les grandes vacances".

Swedish workers can also take up to four consecutive weeks of paid holiday in most industries during the summer. 

The long European summer vacations may come as a surprise to workers in the US, where federal law doesn't guarantee paid time off.

Some have taken to social media to air their grievances about the differences.

Usually for Europeans, peak summer vacation season starts from mid-June, till the end of August. Those who don't go on vacation within those 3 months, go in September. People go on month long holidays 😭😭😭 https://t.co/RmAnMWUOmC

— Andriana Wanjiru Dominguez-CDMP 🇪🇨🇬🇷🇮🇹🇰🇪 (@ANdaihera) August 4, 2023

American workers get an average of 11 days of paid vacation per year, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows — and that increases to 15 days after five years of service at a company. 

Volkswagen didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, which was made outside of normal working hours. 

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