Calendar

Most people believe that divine Sigmar, first emperor of the united tribes of Man, formed the Imperial Calendar. The dating system splits the 400-day year into twelve months of 32 or 33 days, and includes six important festival days, each of which lie between the months.

The months are further divided by eight-day weeks, which bridge the months uninterrupted, even if a week is broken by one of the intercalary festivals.

However, although Sigmar was involved with its creation, the truth of the calendar’s genesis is more complex, and far older than the Empire's patron.

Days of the Week

The eight days of the week are:

Wellentag (Workday),

Aubentag (Levyday),

Marktag (Marketday),

Backertag (Bakeday),

Bezahltag (Taxday),

Konistag (Kingday),

Angestag (Startweek), and

Festag (Holiday).

The reasons for these names are long-forgotten and probably originated in pre-Empire times. Nowadays, market day occurs on any day of the week depending on which part of the Empire you are in, and festivals and holidays take place according to the traditions of each cult. There is no weekly religious holiday, but everyone seizes the chance to celebrate at festival times.

Months in Order

The twelve months of the year are:

Nachhexen (Nach-HEX’n): ‘After-Witching’

Jahrdrung (YAAR-drung): ‘Year-Turn’

Pflugzeit (pFLOOG-tsight): ‘Plough-Tide’

Sigmarzeit (ZIGG-mar-tsight): ‘Sigmar-Tide’

Sommerzeit (ZOMMER-tsight): ‘Summer-Time’

Vorgeheim (FORR-g’hime): ‘Before Mystery’

Nachgeheim (NACH-g’hime): ‘After Mystery’

Erntezeit (ERN-t’sight): ‘Harvest Time’

Brauzeit (BRAOW-tsight): ‘Brewing Time’

Kaldezeit (KAL-tsight): ‘Cold Time’

Ulriczeit (UL-rik-tsight): ‘Ulric-Tide’

Vorhexen (FORR-hex’n): ‘Before Witching’

The six extra days are: 

Hexenstag (Witching Day – New Year's Day), 

Mitterfruhl (Start Growth – Spring Equinox), 

Sonnstill (Sun Still – Summer Solstice), 

Geheimnistag (Day of Mystery), 

Mittherbst (Less Growth – Autumn Equinox), and 

Mondstille (World Still – Winter Solstice).

Three of the months mark the agricultural activities that occur at those times – ploughing, harvesting, and brewing. The equinoxes and solstices mark the peak of each season – spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

Sigmar and Ulric each have one month apiece dedicated to them. Sigmar’s month dominates the onset of summer while Ulric’s month falls in midwinter. This clearly demonstrates their opposing natures. Nobody knows what Sigmarzeit was called in pre-Empire times, though some scholars surmise it was named after Taal.