A pretzel is a long strip of baked dough, ends intertwined and then twisted back into itself. Why is it twisted like that? Should it be soft or hard-baked? Did the pretzel originate in Germany? There are many questions surrounding this popular bakery item and just as many answers because pretzels have a very long and convoluted history. Although they are often regarded as an integral part of German Oktoberfest and Christmas Market traditions, pretzels are found in many forms and in many parts of the world. Every region has its own way of making them.
Pretzel wreath in Munich, Germany. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2014. www.walled-in-berlin.com
Where did the name “Pretzel” come from?
The name “pretzel” is derived from the German word Bretzel” which in turn evolved from the Latin word Brachium. Brachium means “arm” and most likely refers to the crossed strip of dough that looks like arms crossing the chest.
When and where did the Pretzel originate?
The origin of the pretzel is attributed to the ancient Greeks or Romans more than 2,000 years ago, to Italian or French monks during the 7thcentury or to German bakers during the 8thcentury. It depends entirely on who you ask. Neither of the claims can be substantiated. Most assume though that pretzels are rooted in Christianity because the ingredients and the shape of the pretzel probably point to potential religious significance within the Christian Church. Pretzels that are made with nothing more than flour and water could be eaten during Lent when Christians were forbidden to eat eggs, lard or dairy products. Their knot shape reminds of hands in prayer, and the three holes within the pretzel may have been seen as representing the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Some scholars suspect the origin of pretzels to be the result of a ban on heathen baking traditions, and the pretzel may have emerged as a substitute.
In the late 18th century, southern German and Swiss German immigrants introduced the pretzel to North America. The immigrants became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch. In the 20th century, soft pretzels became popular in other regions of the United States.
Varieties of Pretzels
If there are many theories surrounding the origin of pretzels, there are even more varieties of pretzels. To start with, there are soft pretzels, which must be eaten shortly after baking, and hard-baked pretzels, which have a long shelf life. In Germany, soft pretzels are usually sprinkled with salt, sesame seeds, sugar, chocolate, cheese or nuts. Lye pretzels are popular in southern Germany, Austria, and German-speaking Switzerland. Lye gives pretzels their traditional skin and flavor. In the Rhineland region, on the other hand, soft pretzels are made with pudding-filled loops.
Now, that you know all there is to know about the origin of pretzels, elevate your pretzel experience and enjoy a glass of Gluehwein and a hot pretzel at the next Oktoberfest or Christmas Market.
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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.
