The Peaceful Meaning Behind The Pretzels At Oktoberfest

On the list of popular German dishes to try, most people have undoubtedly checked off pretzels. Crunchy, salty, and delicious, these treats are great not just during Oktoberfest celebrations, but all year long. German pretzels are distinguished by the lye bath used to give them their gorgeous color and chewy texture — in fact, a common mistake when making homemade pretzels is skipping either the lye or its American equivalent of baking soda. But what is the origin of German pretzels, and how did they come to be associated with Oktoberfest?

German monks first sold pretzels in the 12th century, in the Bad Urach region of Southern Germany, and they became widely enjoyed thereafter. When Bavarian Germany began celebrating Oktoberfest in the 19th century, they discovered that pretzels were the perfect accompaniment to the plentiful beer being served as part of the harvest festival, and fittingly, pretzels used many of the same ingredients as beer. The first Oktoberfest was held to celebrate a royal wedding, but today, the festivities are all about great eats and good company to celebrate the rich history of German food and drink, of which pretzels are a significant part.

It's thought that the first pretzel makers, who were seventh-century Italian holy men, used leftover bread-making scraps to reward students for working hard learning prayers, and also to donate to the poor in the name of charity. Furthermore, the three holes in pretzels might also have represented the Holy Trinity. Pretzels, or bretz'n, were first formed in the shape of praying arms.

Over the ensuing centuries, pretzels took on different forms, like pretzel rolls, sticks, and both hard and soft varieties. Sometimes they were even stuffed. Along the way, pretzels became associated with weddings in Germany for the same reason that we use the phrase "tying the knot" — just look at the shape! Pretzels remain a symbol of happiness and good luck even to this day.

Nowadays, pretzels are enjoyed around the world, thanks to immigration. Pretzels came to America by way of German immigrants who traveled to Pennsylvania to settle down. Today, the Philadelphia soft pretzel is an icon of food culture in its own right — but it wouldn't have been possible without the religious and cultural traditions of Germany dating back hundreds of years.