cylindershakoHetalia © by Hidekaz Himaruya
How baumkuchen (Baumkuchen (バウムクーヘン)/(バームクーヘン)) came to Japan:
In 1898年, the Empire of China leased the port city of Tsingtau (Tsingtao/Kiautschou/Quingdao (青島市)) to the Deutsches Reich (ドイツ国 ).
As the most successful colony, it became the "figurehead"-colony in the german colonial Empire (the official german term was "Deutsche Kolonien und Schutzgebiete" (ドイツ植民地帝国)). However, it suffered from the same disadvantage as all german colonies: its input was higher than its output.
The Germans built a lot (e.g. a church and the governmental building seen in the background). Still today, Quingdao-beer is the most famous chinese beer. Tsingtau served as trading station and naval base.
With the outbreak of the First World War (Erster Weltkrieg (第一次世界大戦)) in 1914年, the Empire of Japan (大日本帝國) joined the Entente and declared war on Germany.
In September (9月) of 1914年 , japanese forces started to besiege Tsingtau (Belagerung von Tsingtau (青島の戦い)). In November (11月) the same year, after a heavy struggle, the Germans surrendered.
Among the POWs (Kriegsgefangener (捕虜)) shipped to camps in Japan was a baker (Bäcker (製パン)) named Karl Joseph Wilhelm Juchheim (カール・ヨーゼフ・ヴィルヘルム・ユーハイム).
When a exhibition of products took place in Hiroshima (広島市) in 1917年 , Juchheim made the first baumkuchen in Japan.
After the end of the First World War, Juchheim and his wife stood in Japan, opening a bakery and pastry shop.
Baumkuchen became very popular in Japan very quickly and it is until today.
Above, Deutschland (ドイツ)/Ludwig Beilschmidt (ルートヴィッヒ・バイルシュミット) wears the uniform of an admiral (Admiral (海軍大将)) of the Kaiserliche Marine (ドイツ帝国海軍) with the badge of the Eisernes Kreuz (鉄十字) in the button-hole.
Below, he wears the uniform of the III. Seebattaillon (第3海兵大隊), the imperial german marines (Marineinfanterie (海兵隊)) who defended Tsingtau.
Japan (日本)/Kiku Honda (Honda Kiku (本田菊)) below wears the uniform of an officer (士官) of the Imperial Japanese Army (大日本帝國陸軍) and the Order of the Rising Sun (旭日中綬章).
Baumkuchen (literally "tree cake") is a ring-formed pastry which is made by baking one layer of dough over the other on a rotating rod.
This leads to the characteristic lines resembling growth-rings (年輪) of a tree (木), visible when the cake is cut through (which again leads to its name).
It's rather complicate to make and expensive to buy but very tasty.
2016-03-23 00:29:40 +0000