Archive for the ‘Walled In Berlin’ Category

Where have all the German-Americans gone?

Monday, April 2nd, 2018

According to census information, almost 50 million German-Americans lived in the United States in 2010. That number represents 16% of the total U.S. population. Not surprisingly therefore, German-Americans are the largest ethnic group living in the United States. http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/hyphenated-americans-german-roots/ At the turn of the last century, New York ranked third in cities being home to the world’s largest German-speaking populations, trailed only by Berlin and Vienna. Entire communities from Wisconsin to Texas consisted almost exclusively of German immigrants and their children. These immigrants founded churches, they established German language newspapers and cultural societies, and they entered politics. But unlike Spanish-Americans, very few German-Americans still master the German language today, and few schools list German as part of their curriculum. Only 1.7% of all German-Americans over the age of 5 even speak the language. Why is that?

Emigrant Memorial (Auswandererdenkmal), Bremerhaven, Germany. The father of these four soon to be German-Americans looks toward the New World. The mother looks back as she leaves the Old Country. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2013, www.walled-in-berlin.com

Emigrant Memorial (Auswandererdenkmal), Bremerhaven, Germany. The father of these four soon to be German-Americans looks toward the New World. The mother looks back as she leaves the Old Country. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2013, www.walled-in-berlin.com

Word War I changed everything for German-Americans

The large number of German-Americans living in the United States lobbied against intervening on the Allies’ side and helped to keep the United States out of World War I for a long time. When the United States finally did enter the war in 1917, German-Americans came under severe, and often violent, scrutiny. Their loyalty was questioned. People with German roots were indiscriminately accused of being spies and double agents. When the Zimmermann telegram was unearthed, a crackpot German plan that proposed Mexico invade the United States, extreme anti-German sentiments took hold and caused lasting damage to German culture in the United States. http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/zimmermann-telegram-wwi-saga-intrigue/

During the 19 month that followed, the German language, German books, newspapers, music, churches, communities, and even German-Americans themselves came under violent attack. Hundreds of German-Americans were interned. More than 30 were killed by vigilantes and anti-German mobs. Hundreds more were beaten or tarred and feathered. The works of Goethe http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/goethe-writes-faust-a-closet-drama/, Schiller http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/friedrich-schiller-champion-of-freedom/, Bach, Mozart and Beethoven http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/ludwig-van-beethoven-lonely-giant/either perished in the flames of public book-burning ceremonies or were relegated to back shelves or basements. Some of the burnings were performed by mobs, others by administrators or officials. For a time, these ceremonies were all the rage in the US, and many German-Americans hid their German roots or changed their names. For book-burning ceremonies in Germany, see http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/empty-bookshelves-book-burning-memorial/

The Immigrants Memorial near Clinton Castle in Battery Park, New York. Clinton Castle served as a processing facility for newly arrived immigrants. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2017. www.walled-in-berlin.com

The Immigrants Memorial near Clinton Castle in Battery Park, New York. Clinton Castle served as a processing facility for newly arrived immigrants. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2017. www.walled-in-berlin.com

What was left of German-Americans after World War I

In 1910 there were 488 German-language newspapers in the United States with a combined circulation of 3,391,000. Ten years later, there were only 152 publications left with a circulation of 1,311,000. In contrast to the decline of German-language publications, the number of many other ethnic publications increased. Between 1910 and 1920, the number of Spanish-language publications increased from 21 with 74,000 readers to 33 with 256,000 readers. Yiddish publications increased from 8 with 321,000 readers to 23 with 808,000 readers. Italian newspapers went from 28 with 245,00 readers to 40 with 584,000 readers.

My own two cents on the vanishing German-Americans

I am a German-American and speak German, although rarely. The reason is not that I have forgotten how to speak German or that I want to hide my German background, but that few of my friends have German roots. I came to the United States much later than discussed in this article. I came as a young woman during the Cold War and intended to stay for only one year. Born just after WWII, I came from the then walled-in city of Berlin. It was just over twenty years since WWII had ended, and there still was plenty of anti-German sentiment in the United States. But I had expected that. Post-WWII anti-German attitudes were common throughout Europe. There was shame in being German, and we were taught that in German schools.

Born after World War II, my understanding of the war was limited to book knowledge. To avoid detailed discussions on a subject I knew little more about than the rest of the population, I sometimes pretended to be Norwegian. And since I had come to the United States for the purpose of improving my English, I preferred exposure to native English speakers and avoided Germans. Besides, having visited German American clubs occasionally, I found that I had little in common with its members. The non-German members seemed to be in it for the beer, the bratwurst and the polka, and the expatriates, decades my seniors, remembered a Germany that no longer existed. By the time I decided to make the United States my home, most of my friends were non-Germans.

The information presented in this article, aside from “my own two cents,” is based on Erik Kirschbaum’s 2015 book, “Burning Beethoven: The Eradication of German Culture in the United States During World War I.” Eric is a correspondent for the Reuters International News Agency and lives in Berlin, Germany.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Essence of Romance is Uncertainty

Thursday, March 29th, 2018

The essence of romance is uncertainty.

— Oscar Wilde

The essence of romance is uncertainty. www.walled-in-berlin.com

The essence of romance is uncertainty. www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

Our Easter Bunny (Osterhase) is German

Monday, March 26th, 2018

Did you know that the Easter Bunny is German? Along with St. Nikolaus http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/dont-forget-st-nikolaus-day-december-6/, Santa Claus and the Christkind (Christ child), the Easter Bunny brought gifts to the children on the night before the respective holiday. The Easter Bunny stems from the German tradition of the Osterhase (Easter hare). Only good children received colored eggs in nests, which they had made from their caps and bonnets before Easter.

The Easter Bunny, as a symbol for Easter, is first mentioned in writings in 16th century Germany. The first edible Easter Bunnies were produced in Germany in the early 1800s. When Germans began emigrating to America, and especially to Pennsylvania, in the 18th century, they brought the tradition of the Osterhase with them. The tradition spread across the country, until it the Easter Bunny also became a part of American Traditions.

 

The Easter Bunny (before immigrating to the United States). Handmade in the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) and available through Mueller Smokerman. www.walled-in-berlin.com

The Easter Bunny (before immigrating to the United States 😃). Handmade in the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) and available through Mueller Smokerman. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Why would a hare bring eggs?

A hare doesn’t lay eggs. Why would he be associated with eggs during Easter? There are numerous legends tying the hare to eggs. Most likely, the connection originated in farming communities. In the Middle Ages, Green Thursday – the Thursday before Easter – typically marked the end of the business year and the time when tenant farmers had to pay their taxes to the owners of the land they worked. Because these farmers had fasted throughout Lent, the period just before Easter, they frequently had accumulated a surplus of eggs. Often, these eggs became the currency of choice, and many farmers paid their taxes with cooked eggs and with hares they had killed in their fields.

Another legend has it that the hare was the sacred beast of Eostre, the Saxon goddess of Spring and Dawn. However according to the Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore there is no evidence that hares were sacred to Eostre.

Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny

After the Lenten fast had ended, peasants prepared special dishes with decorated eggs as part of the celebration. Later, German Protestants retained the custom of eating colored eggs for Easter. By the end of the Second World War, the Easter Bunny had become mainstream.

The oldest surviving decorated egg dates back to the fourth century A.D. and was discovered in a Romano-Germanic sarcophagus near Worms in Rhineland-Palatinate. https://www.thelocal.de/20170410/made-in-germany-the-very-deutsch-origins-of-the-easter-bunny

The Easter Bunny (after immigrating to the United States). Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2018. www.walled-in-berlin.com

The Easter Bunny (after immigrating to the United States 😀). Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2018. www.walled-in-berlin.com

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

What makes Germans German – Top Ten Traits

Monday, March 19th, 2018

My husband placed a tile on the refrigerator door that reads, “Living with a German builds character!” I placed a sign next to his that says, “It is hard to be humble when you’re German.” What makes Germans German? Here is a list of the top 10 traits:

What makes Germans German? Top ten traits. Design © D.N. www.walled-in-berlin.com

What makes Germans German? Top ten traits. Design © D.N. www.walled-in-berlin.com

  1. Germans have an intimate relationship with the sun

They absolutely worship the sun. At the first sign of sunshine, Germans flock to outdoor cafés, parks, woods and beaches. They’ll roll up their sleeves and pant legs, lean back and turn their faces into the sun to soak up every single ray. German summers are short making sunshine precious. When I first moved to San Diego, I was incapable of doing anything inside when the sun was out – it was always out.

Germans have an intimate relationship with the sun. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2015. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Germans have an intimate relationship with the sun. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2015. www.walled-in-berlin.com

  1. Germans love walks of any length

The love of sunshine leads to a love of the outdoors. Whether it translates into a walk through the city park, promenading alongside the river or hiking in the mountains, a walk is always a welcome activity. 

  1. Germans are fond of coffee and cake

Those walks invariably end at a café or bakery where a strong cup of coffee and a piece of delicious cake refresh body and spirit. 

  1. Germans cherish their leisure time

Germans value leisure time (Freizeit) above all. It’s in their DNA. No matter how responsible the position held, everybody from trainee to boss needs time to recharge. A job change consideration often includes a critical evaluation of the leisure time options that come with the new position. 

  1. Germans expect punctuality

 There is no such thing as being “fashionable late” in Germany. Whether for a business appointment or a dinner engagement, late arrivals are frowned upon. Being punctual is considered a sign of respect. That said, punctuality flies out the window when it comes to appointments with physicians or at government offices. Then, substantial delays are customary and expected.

  1. Germans are straight shooters

Germans may not be known for their diplomacy, but you always know where you stand with them. They don’t pussyfoot around but come direct to the point. A yes is a yes and a no is a no. 

  1. Germans value their privacy

Despite their directness, Germans do not care to be asked too many personal questions. If they want you to know, they will tell you. As a result, close friendships rarely form overnight, but once they do, they usually last forever.

  1. Germans like handshakes

Germans prefer a handshake over a hug unless the other person is family or a close friend. A handshake infuses a little distance, which will make it less awkward should the relationship sour. The formal address used to accomplish the same thing, but it is rarely used anymore. I used to love the option of the formal address, particularly with pesky young men who were not my type.

  1. Germans do have a sense of humor

Contrary to popular belief, Germans do have a sense of humor. They just don’t like silly slapstick humor. But when it comes to ironic and cynical humor, they keep up with the best. You see the proof during the Mardi Gras season (Karneval in German) when the Germans laugh themselves silly over clever innuendos.

  1. Germans are thrifty

Germans know how to make the most of every penny. Even the least educated German does a quick cost-benefit analysis before buying anything. Their thriftiness is one reason why you see German tourists all over the world. They are masters of the Stretch-Currency.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

Throw away your old eyeglasses. Get new ones

Thursday, March 15th, 2018

Like a man who has worn eyeglasses so long that he forgets that he has them on, we forget that the world looks to us the way it does because we have become used to seeing it that way through a particular set of lenses. It is hard to let old beliefs go. They are familiar. We are comfortable with them and have spent years building systems and developing habits that depend on them. The truth is, we need new lenses now and then, and we need to throw the old ones away.

— Kenichi Ohmae

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Seeing the world through brand-new eyeglasses. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2017. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Seeing the world through brand-new eyeglasses. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2017. www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

Weimar Republic – Can Democracy be too Democratic?

Monday, March 12th, 2018

The Weimarer Republik (Weimar Republic) was Germany’s genuine attempt at creating its first-ever democracy. Trying to make it the perfect democracy, its leaders tried to build it on the principal of political and social equality for all. But the Weimar Republic lasted only 14 years before it collapsed. What happened? Was it not democratic enough? Was it too democratic? Let’s take a look.

“Weimar Republic” – an unofficial Designation

Between 1919 and 1933 – after Emperor Wilhelm II had abdicated and before the Nazi regime assumed power – the German state is commonly referred to as the Weimar Republic. That is an unofficial designation, however, because officially, Germany continued to be called Deutsches Reich, (German Empire), Deutscher Volksstaat (German People’s State) or Deutsche Republik (German Republic). The term “Weimar Republic” is based solely on the fact that the German state’s constitution was adopted in the city of Weimar. It was not until the 1930s that the term became mainstream.

Conditions preceding the Weimar Republic

In its fourteen years of existence, the Weimar Republic faced copious problems. They included hyperinflation, political extremism with right- and left-wing paramilitaries, attempted revolutions, public discontent and antagonistic relationships with the victors of World War I. Hyperinflation was such that in 1919, one loaf of bread cost 1 Mark; by 1923, the same loaf of bread cost 100 billion Marks. The value of the paper Mark had declined from 4.2 Marks per U.S. dollar in 1914 to one million Marks per dollar by August 1923. The German people blamed the Weimar Republic rather than their wartime leaders for the country’s defeat and for the humiliating terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

Banknote from the hyperinflationary period of the Weimar Republic - a 1923 banknote in the amount of 20,000 Mark, worth barely the paper it was printed on. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Banknote from the hyperinflationary period of the Weimar Republic – a 1923 banknote in the amount of 20,000 Mark, worth barely the paper it was printed on. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Why did the Weimar Republic last only 14 years?

The constitution of the Weimar Republic contained many features that were to insure a perfect democracy, such as a Bill of Rights that guaranteed the freedom of speech, freedom of religion and equality under the law. But the constitution also had two great weaknesses. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/germany/weimarstrengthweakrev3.shtml One of those weaknesses was something called “proportional representation.” It meant that each party was allocated the number of seats in the Reichstag (Parliament) that was proportional to the number of people who had voted for the party. But no minimum number of votes was required to get into the Reichstag. As a result, dozens of tiny parties ended up sitting in the Reichstag. When none could garner enough seats to represent a majority, the government could not get any laws passed.

The other serious built-in weakness in the constitution of the Weimar Republic was Article 48. That article stated that in an emergency the president could issue decrees without the agreement of the Reichstag. But the article failed to define what would represent an “emergency.” It was under Article 48, the Enabling Act of 1933, that Adolf Hitler assumed power.

These two major flaws in the constitution, albeit democratic and well-intended, made it impossible for the Weimar Republic to survive.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

 

Muckefuck – German for Coffee Substitute

Monday, March 5th, 2018

Muckefuck, pronounced “mook-a-fook” as in book, (not what you thought) is a colloquial German term for coffee substitute. Pronounced correctly, it’s a perfectly innocent word. In September 2011, Deutsche Welle, Germany’s public international broadcaster, listed Muckefuck in its language learning section as the new word of the week.

How did Muckefuck get its odd name?

The word, Muckefuck, is a relative newcomer to the German language. There are several theories as to how and when the term was first used. The most likely explanation dates back to the 18th century. At that time, about one-third of Berlin’s population consisted of Huguenots who had fled France to avoid religious persecution. When King Frederick the Great, King of Prussia from 1740 to 1786, http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/frederick-the-great-shaped-modern-europe/ substantially raised taxes on coffee imports, Berlin’s Huguenots came up with an idea for a coffee substitute. They brewed roasted chicory roots along with a few coffee beans and ended up with a thin, very black hot liquid. They called it “mocca faux” (false coffee). Lacking in sufficient French language skills, their German neighbors thought they heard the Huguenots say, “Muckefuck” and the colloquial term for coffee substitute was born.

More than once have misunderstood foreign language terms led to unintentional misconstructions. The Berlitz School of Languages put out a Youtube with my very favorite, hilarious example. Although the skid doesn’t refer to Muckefuck, it points out what can happen when marginal English skills lead to misinterpretations. Watch what transpires when a German Coast Guard trainee tries to muddle through an SOS call made in English. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMUsVcYhERY/

What is Muckefuck?

Muckefuck is a non-coffee product intended to imitate coffee. Coffee substitutes are also often chosen by individuals who wish to avoid caffeine or are given to children. Ingredients used in coffee substitutes frequently include almonds, acorn, asparagus, barley, beechnut, beet root, carrot, chicory root, corn, soybeans, cottonseeds, dandelion root, figs, roasted garbanzo beans, okra seeds, persimmon seeds, potato peels, rye, sassafras pits, sweet potato or wheat bran.

Postum, an instant coffee substitute made from roasted wheat bran, wheat and molasses was popular in the United States during World War II when coffee was rationed. Caro and Pero made from roasted barley, malted barley, chicory and rye were popular in Germany for the same reasons. In addition to being a coffee substitute, the term Muckefuck is also used for very weak coffee, which is often referred to as Bluemchenkaffee (flower coffee). http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j/elke/ertle/coffee-saxons-connoisseurs-fine-coffee/

 

Drink your Muckefuck and eat it too.

I grew fond of my own Muckefuck and still prepare it occasionally as a treat.The best part of homemade Muckefuck is that you can eat the “grounds” as well. Once your brew is made, simply scoop the grain mixture into a bowl, add milk and enjoy a delicious cereal along with your hot cup of “mocca faux.” Here is my favorite Muckefuck recipe:

Muckefuck before roasting - grains are golden like honey. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2018. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Muckefuck before roasting – grains are golden like honey. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2018. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Ingredients: 2 cups of coarsely ground bulgur, 1 cup of coarsely ground corn meal, ¼ cup molasses.

Process: Combine all ingredients and rub them between your palms until well mixed. Place the mixture on a cookie sheet and brown in a 250°F oven, gently stirring every 20 minutes. Do this until the mix has a rich, dark color. This will take a couple of hours. Store the mixture in an airtight container. Pour 2 tablespoons of mixture per 1 cup of water into the filter paper of an electric coffee maker. Perk and voila! Your Muckefuck is done. Enjoy!

Muckefuck after roasting - grains are dark like coffee. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2018. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Muckefuck after roasting – grains are dark like coffee. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2018. www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

 

Planning beats best plans

Thursday, March 1st, 2018

Plans are nothing; planning is everything.

— Dwight D. Eisenhower

Plans are nothing; Planning is everything. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Plans are nothing; Planning is everything. www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

Coffee Saxons – Connoisseurs of fine Coffee

Monday, February 26th, 2018

Kaffeesachsen” (Coffee Saxons in English) is a tongue-in-cheek expression that makes light of the Saxons’ love for coffee. Saxony, one of 16 Federal German states, is located in the eastern part of the country. In the early 1700s, coffee became the region’s most treasured drink. Supposedly, the Coffee Saxons still drink more coffee than the rest of the German people.

Coffee Saxons drink more coffee than the rest of the German people. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Coffee Saxons drink more coffee than the rest of the German people. www.walled-in-berlin.com

The Coffe Baum – Leipzig’s famous coffee house

The second oldest continuously operated coffee house in Europe is the Café “Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum” (To the Arab Coffee Tree), located in the Saxon city of Leipzig. In the early days, coffee houses were social hubs where thinkers and creators congregated. The Coffe Baum was once THE place where composers like Johann Sebastian Bach, Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelsohn-Bartholdy, Gustav Mahler and Richard Wagner talked about music and Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/Goethe-writes-faust-a-closet-drama/ philosophized. Today, the Coffe Baum is mostly a tourist magnet.

 

Coffee house "Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum" in Leipzig, Germany. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Coffee house “Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum” in Leipzig, Germany. www.walled-in-berlin.com

No Bluemchenkaffee for Coffee Saxons

As early as 1697 the first German “coffeehouse order” was issued. It established the guidelines for the strength and composition of the coffee served. The then fashionable Meissen porcelain, invented in 1710, was typically adorned with floral designs. Soon, the Coffee Saxons referred to particularly weak coffee as “Bluemchenkaffee” (flower coffee) because you could see right through the brew to the floral design at the bottom of the cup.

What the Coffee Saxons call "Bluemchenkaffee" (flower coffee). It's a tad exaggerated, but you get the idea. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2018. www.walled-in-berlin.com

What the Coffee Saxons call “Bluemchenkaffee” (flower coffee). It’s a tad exaggerated, but you get the idea. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2018. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Did the Coffee Saxons start the coffee habit?

Despite their love for the delightful brew, the Coffee Saxons did not invent coffee houses or the cup of steaming Java. Both originated in the 14th or 15th century in the Middle East, probably in Yemen or Turkey. There were coffee houses and an entire culture around coffee in much of the Eastern Mediterranean area at that time. It was not until the 18th century, around the time of the invention of Meissen porcelain, that coffee, along with tea and chocolate gained in popularity in Saxony.

Coffee Consumption around the World

Despite their coffee fondness, the Coffee Saxons are by no means the biggest consumers of the brew. Neither can the United States claim that distinction despite the fact that there is a Starbucks on almost every corner. Although statistics vary, it appears that Finland and the Netherlands are the two top coffee consuming countries. Germany ranks fifth or eighth (depending on whose figures you believe) in consumption. The United States falls somewhere between number 16 and number 25.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/maps-and-graphics/countries-that-drink-the-most-coffee/ and https://www.caffeineinformer.com/caffeine-what-the-world-drinks

A survey indicates that almost 30% of Germans believe that a cup of coffee helps in deal-making. www.walled-in-berlin.com

A survey indicates that almost 30% of Germans believe that a cup of coffee helps in deal-making. www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

 

 

 

Will Learning from Experience ever stop?

Thursday, February 22nd, 2018

The trouble with learning from experience is that you never graduate.

— Dough Larson

The trouble with learning from experience is that you never graduate. www.walled-in-berlin.com

The trouble with learning from experience is that you never graduate. www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.