What do Germans eat for the Feast of Saint Martin?

November 11th is Saint Martin's Day. It is the anniversary of the death of the saint, who is said to have shared his cloak with a beggar as a soldier in the 4th century AD. According to legend, Saint Martin tried to avoid being ordained Bishop of Tours by hiding in a goose pen. The humble man felt unworthy of such high office. But the honking geese gave him away, and he was ordained after all.

Goose isn't eaten everywhere for Saint Martin's Day, also known as 'Martinmas.' People in the Rhineland traditionally eat a savory potato cake with a peasant origin, since many in the past couldn't afford roast goose. It can be also made with sausage, or vegetarian, (image). The name varies according to regional dialects, from "Potthucke," "Pfannenwalz," to "Knulls," "Riefpucks" and "Düppekooche."

In many places, Saint Martin's Day is marked by a latern procession and a re-enactment of Saint Martin sharing his cloak with beggars, followed by a bonfire. Children in the Rhineland eat sweet leavened dough baked in the shape of a man holding a clay pipe, known as a "Weckmann." The pipe is said to have replaced the staff of the bishop St. Nicholas, the original "Weckmann" role model.

"Weckmänner" are called that because sweetened bread is known as "Wecken" in the region of origin. In other areas, there are similar products with different names, like "Stutenkerle" (pictured) in the Lower Rhine region, for example, and "Grittibänz" in Switzerland. What they all have in common is that their hand-held size makes them easy to share — in keeping with the spirit of Saint Martin.

Southern Germany also has the custom of eating sweet yeast dough pastries — not in the form of people, however, but pretzels. Baked goods made from fine white flour used to only be available on special occasions. A white flour pastry is said to have been given to the poor and sick on Saint Martin's Day. Swabian bakeries sell pretzels made from yeast dough from Saint Martin's Day to New Year's Day.

Every German region also has its own name for fried balls of yeast dough — "Püfferchen," "Quarkbällchen," "Muzen" or "Berliner." In the Lower Rhein region, the donut-like treats eaten for the Feast of Saint Martin are called "Püfferkes." They're made from an airy yeast dough, sometimes enriched with raisins or apple pieces, and fried in hot oil, then dusted with sugar.