By Christine June
Public Affairs Office
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (Oct. 28, 2018) – Ninety-eight participants from 42 countries, who are attending the Marshall Center’s Program on Applied Security Studies, enjoyed a traditional “Bavarian Breakfast” or Weißwurst Frühstück at a local restaurant here thanks to the Friends of the Marshall Center Oct. 28.

The Friends of the Marshall Center were formed in 1996 and is an organization comprised of citizens from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, who sponsor activities for participants attending Marshall Center resident courses.

“Our association was created to help course participants become better acquainted with the region and the culture where they will be living for several months,” said Professor Dr. h.c. Rudolf Faltermeier, FOMC president. “Our members are private citizens from the region of Upper Bavaria, who want to assist Marshall Center participants.”

These FOMC-sponsored activities help participants, who are from around the world, experience the Bavarian culture while they are here.

Two Bavarian musicians played traditional music, providing an even more Bavarian atmosphere for the participants.

German Navy Cmdr. Andreas Hildenbrand, PASS deputy director, said that the Friends of the Marshall Center are important to the success of the program.

“Their support allows the participants to enjoy social activities while they are here,” he said. “This enables participants to get to know each other better and features group cohesion by enabling them to travel together on the weekends to visit local and Bavarian tourist sites.”

He added that the FOMC sponsorship program “allows for interested participants to learn about the daily life of local families by including them in activities. Twenty-two of this sponsors supported this Bavarian Breakfast.”

Also at this breakfast was the Marshall Center’s U.S. Deputy Director U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Dieter Bareihs who thanked the Friends of the Marshall Center for their support.

The traditional Bavarian Breakfast includes Brezen or Pretzel, Weißwurst or white sausage, Senf and süßer Senf or mustard and sweet mustard, and Weißbier, or wheat beer. The star of the Bavarian breakfast is the Weißwurst.

Created in Munich in 1857, the white sausages come in pairs, like church bells, one piece attached to the other, and are only eaten for breakfast.

Why? They are very perishable and back when they were created, there was not refrigerators to keep them cool. They were made and eaten before noon before they were ruined.

They are made from minced veal, normally flavored with parsley, lemon, mace, onions, ginger and cardamom.

How to eat it: yes, there is a right way to eat it. You should detach them, cut a line in the middle of each and take the skin off with your hands. Then, you are ready to go.

Other FOMC-sponsored activities include: Guided Walking Tours of Garmisch; Ski Jump Tours and other excursions; German evenings and the sponsorship program.

The FOMC also support weekend activities for the participants by reimbursing train tickets and entrance fees for Bavarian museums, and local cultural and scenic sites.