Zircon and apatite fission-track analyses from Late Carboniferous felsic volcanic rocks of the NE German Basin (Halle area and Friedland drilling) reveal at least two major post-emplacement thermal events. After initial cooling at ca. 300Ma, the volcanic pile underwent a major thermal event at ca. 200Ma that reached in most places ca. 250280C and led to the new growth of clay minerals. This event is recorded in the zircon fission-track data and can be related to JurassicTriassic rifting in Europe. Another thermal event is recorded in the apatite samples at ca. 100Ma. A close correlation is observed between apatite fission-track age, texture, and sample alteration. Coarse-grained samples are stronger altered and have younger fission-track ages. Hydrothermal alteration coupled with advective heating probably caused these Upper Cretaceous fission-track ages. The latter event can be related to block faulting and inversion of the European plate during the early stages of the Alpine orogeny.