According words I got from friends in Italy, Germans are counted as “potatoe freaks”. No german meal without potatoes and my friends believe, we would even plant them on the balcony.

Potatoes are no regular vegetable for Europe at all. They come from South America and have been planeted since aeons by indians in the Anden (Well … hopefully they are written same way in english…). Spanish Conquestadors and British Sailors brought it to Europe … mostly because of their nice bloms. 

Carolus Clusius planted 1589 the first potatoes in Germany.  The scholar, physician and scientist organised with his relations with other scientists and rich citizens for the spreading of potatoes.  First the potato was held as ornamental plant in gardens.  Potatoes have been well known for their cures and have been used in “Grandmas medicine”.  For self-supply she was probably planted during the 30-years war in the back gardens of South Germany.  As commodity the potatoe is mentioned for the first time 1757 in Frankfurt market reports - the beginning of their commercial use as acted food. 

Emphasis of the German cultivation of potato was Prussia.  Due to wars and from this resulting emergency its cultivation was intensified. King Friedrich issued the “potato instruction” in 1756, which forced the farmers to the cultivation of the potato.  The Prussian per-capita consumption at potatoes is to have amounted to already 1875 120 kilograms.

But what is in our days? The modern Germany is not Prussia - and the wars have finally stopped. In fact the potatoe farmers are crying: Not only according analyses but also in real market the germans do eat less and less potatoes. in 2005 only 66 kg of potatoes went into stomaches of german eaters. only the halve of it in rare form … most allready processed: As “French Fies” (who the hell inveted this name for belgium “Pommes Frittes”?) and other products.

But one thing stays a truth: Even when suffering from wars have stopped - Germans take about 20% of their need of vitamine C from potatoes. A healthy potatoe eating country.

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