NPR logo German Bread: The Dark Truth


German Bread: The Dark Truth

Germany's food culture is more than just sauerkraut and sausages. It is the bread that sustains this culture. hide caption

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German bread is not your usual breed of breads.


Rather, it is coarse and unrefined, composed mainly of whole grains, such as rye, spelt, millet, and wheat - usually in pure form giving it a density that far outweighs any fluffy focaccia, oily ciabatta, or slender French baguette.




In the late 19th century for example, the introduction of industrialized white rolls and their widespread consumption contributed to a backlash known as the "life reform" movement which sought to return this dense unrefined bread to the table and reinstate its place in German life.

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"You can't really find German style bread in the states," said Samuel Fromartz, an American food writer who worked at Weichardt Bakery in Berlin as part of his research on his book about breads.

I was drawn to German breads mainly because of their distinct whole grain composition and complex fermenting processes — specifically associated with sourdough (Sauerteig). Plus, you can't find this kind of bread in the U.S. Yes, we have Jewish Rye, which comes close, but the coarse, thick German bread is really non-existent. Instead, we have imported the starchier varieties—say from the Italians, who immigrated here along with the French baguette. The East European immigrants came the closest to recreating such loaves but soon succumbed to consumer demand for starchier white breads. German bread is really the exception and very hard to find outside of Germany - the big reason why I came to Berlin. These breads are basically 90% rye or spelt, which is crazy given how much sugar, salts, and god knows what goes into them. You have a slice of this for breakfast and you are set for a long time.


"The proliferation of wheat-based breads did not occur until the 20th century. Rather, the harvest dictated what grains could be used," Fromartz says.


Today, bread culture still reigns supreme in Germany, and sophisticated Berlin is no exception. The traditional evening meal, Abendbrot, bread smeared with butter, cheese, and cold meats is still very common.


It is certainly unlike any loaf of bread in the world, demonstrating that Germany's food culture is more than just sauerkraut and sausages. Rather, it is the bread that sustains this culture.

Berlin bakeries worth visiting:


Gneisenaustr. 58
10961 Berlin
030 6167119

Weichardt Bakery

10715 Berlin
Tel. 030 / 873 80 99
Fax: 030 / 861 16 99