From gypsy schnitzel to currywurst: a look at the catering history!

From gypsy schnitzel to currywurst: a look at the catering history!

On December 29, 2019, Patrick Barciaga, operator of the "snack bar at the shaft" in Herten, discovered old family documents in his basement, which enable an unexpected journey into the gastronomic past in Germany. Among the finds was an invoice from the former Ostrops-Hof restaurant in Gelsenkirchen, dated January 20, 1968. This calculation not only reveals the pricing policy of a restaurant at the time, but also how the gastronomic landscape has changed over the years. The invoice listed six "gypsy schnitzel" for DM 6 each and three mushrooms toasts. In addition, a glass of beer was to be had for only 50 pfennigs, which impressively illustrated the pricing of the gastronomy at the time.

Overall, the invoice added to DM 62.70, including a VAT of 10 %. Even if the Ostrops-Hof restaurant has been closed for seven years now, its heir in the history of Gelsenkirchen's gastronomy remains alive. For comparison: Currently, a currywurst with french fries costs 6.70 euros in the "snack bar" and a 0.33 liter beer costs 3.20 euros. This price increase illustrates the development in gastronomy over the past few decades.

historical context of gastronomy in Gelsenkirchen

A look at the history of the city of Gelsenkirchen shows that the development of the catering trade is closely linked to the social and economic framework. According to the Institute for City History Gelsenkirchen, the chronicles for the years 1936 to 1945 are to be considered under special reservations. In these documents, not only the social circumstances are reflected, but also the ideological influence by the National Socialist regime, which shaped the reporting and perception of the gastronomy during this period.

The records from the Nazi era show that many events that did not fit into the propaganda of the National Socialists were intentionally unmentioned. This illustrates the extent to which such periods of time influenced gastronomic and social reality. The city chronicles are available for private studies and research, but publication is not permitted elsewhere in order to protect the integrity of these historical documents.

gastronomic trends and challenges