Schwörmontag and Nabada Ulm/Neu-Ulm

Six Hundred Years of City Constitution — and a Bavarian-Württemberg Double Festival

When the Lord Mayor speaks from the balcony of the Schwörhaus on Schwörmontag, he swears allegiance to Ulm's city constitution, which dates back to 1397 — one of Germany's oldest civil statutes. This has evolved into the city's highest holiday, celebrated uninterrupted since the Middle Ages. Today, Schwörmontag is a joint festival for both cities — Ulm in Baden-Württemberg and Neu-Ulm in Bavaria — separated only by the Danube.

Oath Ceremony at 11:00 AM at the Schwörhaus

On Schwörmontag, July 20, 2026, the official day begins with the oath ceremony on Weinhof: At 11:00 AM, the Lord Mayor appears on the balcony of the Schwörhaus and delivers the oath speech — an accountability speech on the state of the city, followed by the actual oath formula, by which he pledges allegiance to the city constitution. The speech is commented on in a civic-political manner; afterwards, the citizens gather on Weinhof and in the old town.

Nabada — the Danube Parade at 4:00 PM

The highlight of Schwörmontag is the Nabada (Alemannic for 'Bathing Down') in the afternoon: Starting at 4:00 PM, thousands of people drift down the Danube between Ulm and Neu-Ulm on rafts, boats, dinghies, and imaginatively costumed floating constructions. The boats are prepared for months — clubs, schools, companies, and groups of friends build elaborate themed boats that serve as satirical-political commentary on city events. Thousands of spectators line the banks on both sides of the Danube. The spectacle is unique in Germany.

The Schwörwoche (Oath Week)

A whole week of festivals surrounds Schwörmontag — the Schwörwoche. This includes:

• The Candlelight Serenade on the Saturday before Schwörmontag, where 12,000 floating lights transform the Danube into a sea of light
• The Oath Sunday Concert: In 2026, Roland Kaiser will perform on Sunday, July 19th, starting at 7:30 PM on Münsterplatz
• The Oath Concert by the Ulm Theater
• The Fischerstechen: traditional water jousting on the Danube
• The Ulm Volksfest on the Friedrichsau grounds, which runs concurrently
• The Civic Festival in the old town with live music, food, and drinks

A Bavarian-Württemberg Co-Production

Since Ulm belongs to Baden-Württemberg and Neu-Ulm to Bavaria, Schwörmontag is organizationally a twin-city festival. The Nabada boats mostly start from the Neu-Ulm side and drift towards Ulm's old town. The oath speech formally applies only to Ulm — but Neu-Ulm actively participates with its own program, refreshment stands, and boats.