Local Foods: Friedenau Market

Marketplaces are fascinating spaces on any terrain – town or village – and they tell many stories about the people who populate them. I would like to introduce you to a few that I think are special. This time I am going local.

Markets ‘mark’ a unique spot in settlements and society. They tell us, what is available and what is needed. Hopefully, these two things coincide. On a local level, I can see this every time we go to our favorite farmers’ market, the Friedenau Market.

Other markets become characterized by the names of the places where they are held, but this one has a character and a name of its own. Maybe because someone in a far-off office decided some time ago to change the name of the square first from a straightforward Marktplatz (marketplace) to Lauterplatz (after a river near the Rhine) and then to Breslauer Platz (after a partner city of the district in Silesia). But the people here – especially those with deep roots in Friedenau – know their market better than to be fooled by names.

This close relationship has a long history. The marketplace has practically always been a part of Friedenau. In fact, it was established only seven years after the community of Friedenau was officially recognized by German Emperor Wilhelm I in 1874.

The concept for the community, however, was not an official matter. This place was originally settled and built by citizens at the gates of the metropolis of Berlin. It was meant to be a neighborhood with lots of greenery and gardens. In addition – a very unique idea – the original well-to-do settlers felt it their duty to build affordable artists’ studios into the attics of their houses. This was one of the reasons why Friedenau developed into a productive artists’ colony – and still is.

Today, the Friedenau Market ‘at the Breslauer Platz’ is part of a huge network of markets all over Berlin: classic farmers markets, local markets with creative programs or swap meets, specialized food markets, indoor markets, regular markets, seasonal markets. Of course, these days it has become a city market, since the municipality became part of the town of Berlin in 1920 (only a few years after they finally got their own town hall – at the market square).

Even though the grocery stores and shops around here have grown a lot in the range of products and the number of stores, we still go to the Friedenau market on a regular basis. To buy special or seasonal ingredients and to enjoy a great variety of fresh foods. About half of the stands are owned by farmers, but there are also other special local food manufacturers. Not to mention the classic fish, cheese and sausage vendors as well as bakers. The farmers offer mostly their own produce, with the addition of some popular vegetables and fruits which are grown in sunnier regions (like bananas). Some just have a classic wooden booth with an awning and a limited number of each fruit or vegetable. Others come with large crates – many filled with berries these days, and still some with asparagus. They use colorful trailers, which are parked off to the side – or even bring their own food truck.

And most of them have they known each other for quite some time. One of our favorite vendors has been bringing food to town with her family for 62 years – almost half of the time the market has been in existence. So there is not only the exchange of money and goods in front of the stalls, but also friendly chatter and neighborly help behind the scenes.

Giving faces to the fact that it takes customers and merchants to make a market come alive. And that city and surrounding countryside are part of the same picture. Or ingredients for the same meal that we all share.

Side Notes:

• Those of you, who have kept track of the numbers above, may be aware of the fact that Friedenau is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. If you are in town, be sure to come by for the celebration – of course at the Friedenau Marketplace (Breslauer Platz) on July 7, 2024 .
• You’ll find solid background information on the Friedenau market – and its anniversary – on the official Berlin website (berlin.de) under information about the district of Tempelhof-Schöneberg. Look for the Friedenau page (German) under the subcategories ‘Über den Bezirk’ (ueber den bezirk) and ‘Ortsteile’.
• If you want to find out what the personality, maybe even ‘the soul’ of a marketplace looks like, you should see the book ‘Markttage in Friedenau’. It was published in 2021 by Evelyn Weissberg (edition Friedenauer Brücke, ISBN 978-3-9816130-6-3) and gives you a genuine introspective into the development of the place with a number of photos, beautiful artworks by local painters plus personal views of Friedenau citizens throughout time. Authentic excerpts from official documents and newspaper articles also give you a little more background to the story. All in all, it’s a wonderful, vivid portrait of the traditions behind bringing food into town. Thank you for your work, Evelyn.