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Why Germans have a day to celebrate the 'Butterbrot'

Dagmar Breitenbach
September 27, 2019

It's traditional fare for young and old alike: A slice of fresh bread spread with nothing but butter. Every year in late September, Germans devote a day to celebrate their beloved staple, the "Butterbrot."

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bread and butter
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/chromorange

It's easy. All you need is ... bread and butter. Presto, the German "Butterbrot" sandwich, good for breakfast or a snack, kids and adults, dinner at home and to-go.

It is usually open-faced, and simply spread with butter. It's enough of a cultural mainstay that the "Butterbrot" has its very own day of celebration every year on the last Friday of September.

Pumpernickel or rye, wheat bread with or without grains, or perhaps some spelt or millet in the mix, or even walnuts: There are a staggering 3,200 varieties of bread in Germany. In 2017, according to the Statista statistics portal, about 98.5% of all households in Germany bought bread at an average of 44.1 kilos per household.

In 2014, UNESCO even recognized German bread as intangible cultural heritage   

For more on German lifestyle and culture, visit dw.com/meetthegermans.