exploring Bremen & its surrounding areas
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Schaffermahl (Bremen's Merchant's Feast)
Since 1545, Bremen has hosted the Schaffermahl annually, demonstrating remarkable continuity. This traditional feast, held every second Friday in February, is primarily a gentlemen’s affair - women were only allowed to participate starting in 2005 - and this exclusivity stems from its historical roots.
Originally, shipowners and merchants would bid farewell to sailors after the winter break with the Schaffermahl before they set sail again. Women typically did not attend, as maritime superstition held that their presence on board brought bad luck. Today, the event still consists of 100 merchant members, 100 seafaring members from Haus Seefahrt, and 100 guests from politics, business, culture, and science - all dressed in tailcoats or uniforms - gathering exclusively by invitation in the venerable upper hall of Bremen’s town hall. Even the arrangement of tables in the shape of Neptune’s trident emphasizes the originally maritime character of this grand feast.
The Schaffermahl is organized by Haus Seefahrt, a respected foundation based in Grohn, northern Bremen. One of Europe’s oldest social funds, it supports elderly sailors and their wives or widows. The city officially recognized its establishment as far back as 1545.
Over approximately five hours, six courses are served, following old traditions that include hearty dishes like kale with Pinkel (a type of sausage), chicken soup, roasted potatoes - and, of course, fish. Red and white wine accompany the meal. Between courses, speeches are given, including remarks from the guest of honor. However, the gentlemen also have another task: they must clean their cutlery between servings. On an old cargo sailboat, as at the Schaffermahl, space was tight, and each man had only one knife, one fork, one soup spoon, and one dessert spoon. These four utensils - along with a piece of paper, pepper in a golden shaker, and salt in a silver one - are all that is provided for the six courses. The modest setup is completed by a long-stemmed white clay pipe to be smoked after the meal.
A specialty is the thick, sweet Seefahrtsbier (seafarer’s beer), brewed especially for the occasion and served in a silver tankard.
Kale and Pinkel with potatoes
Is the Schaffermahl still an all-nale event? Not exactly. After years of protests that did little to disrupt the tradition, women from society, politics, and business now host their own Schafferinnenmahl (Merchantesses’ Feast). These networking women approach the event with far fewer rigid traditions - in 2017 marked its 43rd edition.
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Town Hall
The original Old Town Hall on the market square was built between 1405 and 1412. Little remains of this rather plain late Gothic brick building today. The Renaissance façade that gives the UNESCO-protected structure its distinctive appearance was constructed between 1608 and 1614 by Lüder von Bentheim. Particularly above the arcades, it is lavishly adorned with various depictions from ancient mythology, which uniquely blend with Christian symbolism, Bremen city symbols, and other representations.
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Kale & Pinkel
Every year between October and February, it's that time again: Kale (Grünkohl) season. Usually by late October/early November, the mostly green, palm-like plants - up to 180 cm tall depending on the variety and rich in vitamins and minerals - are ready for harvest. These plants are commonly found in Bremen, even in the beds of allotment gardens. Since the curly leaves of this cruciferous vegetable, once stripped of stems and stalks, can appear slightly brown or green - or turn a bit brownish with a lot of imagination when cooked - many people from Bremen also call Grünkohl "Braunkohl" (brown cabbage).
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