Oath ceremony in Ulm

Schwörmontag (Oath Monday) is Ulm's most traditional holiday. The oath speech, Nabada on the Danube, and social gatherings combine politics, history, and city life into a unique experience in the middle of summer. Schwörmontag is Ulm's most important municipal holiday and takes place every year on the second-to-last Monday in July. For centuries, it has marked the beginning and end of the political year – before the summer break in local politics begins. The focus is on the **oath ceremony**, during which the incumbent mayor addresses the citizens from the balcony of the **Schwörhaus**. In his oath speech, he publicly gives an account of the past year – a rare example of vibrant local democracy. At the end of the speech comes the most symbolic moment: with his right hand raised, the mayor swears to be **"a common man to rich and poor"** – in other words, a person for the community. This oath is over six and a half centuries old and gives Oath Monday its special historical depth. After the official part, the city transforms: during the legendary **Nabada** (Swabian for "down the river"), the **Danube** turns into a floating stage. Imaginatively decorated boats, inner tubes, and improvised rafts float downstream, accompanied by thousands of spectators on the banks. The Nabada is exuberant, ironic, sometimes political – and always deeply rooted in the city's society. Schwörmontag ends where Ulm shows its green and urban side: in the Friedrichsau, along the Danube, or in the alleys of the old town. Picnic blankets, beer gardens, and spontaneous encounters characterize the evening—relaxed, open, and communal.