History of the “Bretzel”:
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Through history different people lay claim to the origin of the Bretzel and Pretzel. Its beginnings date back to the middle ages and soon became a legend in Germany!
- The Pretzel version:
An Italian monk, about 610 A.D. decided to reward his students by serving them leftover dough that he rolled and twisted to resemble his students’ folded arms across their chests, when praying. He called the finished product ‘pretiolas’ which means "little rewards", in Latin . After a while, ‘pretiolas’ took the name "Pretzel". German children wore this unique shape around their necks to celebrate the New Year, bring luck, long life, and prosperity. |
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- The Bretzel version:
The name ‘bretzel’ came from the Latin word ‘bracchium’ meaning 'forearm'. Early Christians made it a centre piece for communion. This centre piece had a crown with two arms twisted inside to display the prayer action.
- The baker version:
In 1477, in exchange for freedom, a prisoner had to create a bread in which the sun could be seen shining through three times. This French baker came from Alsace, there he got the idea by looking at his wife with her arms crossed in front of the windows where the sun was shining. The Bretzel became the iconic symbol of the traditional bakers in Alsace and you can still see around today.
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