Folk festival without grilled sausage? Dispute in Würzburg fuels German meat debate

A bizarre dispute recently raged in the Franconian city of Würzburg. At a traditional folk festival, to which more than 10,000 visitors flock every year, this year for the first time there should be no bratwurst, steak or fish, but only vegetarian food!

The announcement alone was enough to unleash a storm of indignation. The CSU parliamentary group leader in the city council, Wolfgang Roth, rumbled that people should “not be forced” to only eat salad. The Greens and other veggie fans then explained that they were only following social trends. In addition, not eating meat is good for the climate.

No more bratwurst at folk festivals? Meat fans stunned

The Wurst-Zoff from Würzburg is more than a regional farce. It symbolizes the divided relationship between Germans and meat – and for an ideologically charged dispute over the question of whether the consumption of animals is still up to date, i.e. politically correct.

More than ten years ago, when the Greens called for a nationwide “Veggie Day”, i.e. one meatless day a week, the CDU and FDP castigated the “green re-education” and protested against the paternalism of the citizens even with the menus.

To this day, many advocates and critics of meat are almost irreconcilable, similar to the dispute over nuclear power, gender or heating. Vegans like to give the impression that they are “morally superior” to meat eaters, says nutritional psychologist Christoph Klotter. Meat eaters, on the other hand, feel annoyed by the “proselytism” of many plant eaters.

Beef steaks on a charcoal grill – as bad as diesel cars?

A prime example of this proselytizing zeal is being provided by a professor for renewable energies from Berlin. On YouTube, he creates a mood against charcoal grills and calls for meat abstinence. A barbecue evening with beef steak and smoldering charcoal, he warns, causes “as much greenhouse gas as driving 120 kilometers in a diesel car”.

The comparison makes you sit up and take notice.

Politicians have already issued diesel driving bans and decided to end such cars completely. Banning charcoal and gas grills (also bad for the environment) next? Will meat soon be on the index and will its consumption be a punishable offense so that Germany can achieve its CO2 targets? At least it wouldn’t surprise you.

The fact is: Meat has a bad reputation: bad for the environment. Bad for the animals. Bad for your health.

But is that even true? As sweeping as meat critics like to claim?

The answer is: No!

Blanket condemnation of flesh is inappropriate

Meat, at least good meat, is healthy. It has been giving people energy and power for more than two million years. It contains very easily digestible protein, iron and vitamin B12 as well as minerals. Meat is basically a high-quality food.

But the important thing is: It tastes fantastic! Anyone who has ever pulled a forearm-thick, 28-day-old piece of beef off the grill, carved it and eaten it in good company knows what we’re talking about.

I have nothing against vegans. Nothing against vegetarians either. On the contrary. The more of them there are, the fewer animals end up on the plate. Good this way! I love animals!

Still, I like to eat meat. I come from Thuringia, where the best bratwurst in the world comes from.

Barbecuing with just vegetables – unthinkable for me! A visit to Paris without a tartare de boeuf – a bad joke! New York without Porterhouse Steak – for God’s sake! A dinner at the Greek without leg of lamb – just over my dead body!

Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder recently said: “Life without sausages is theoretically possible, but pointless.” Even if many may disagree with him, I don’t do it on this point.

Some of the industry’s methods are unacceptable and disgusting

Of course, there are good arguments against eating meat.

Above all, the poor conditions in many industrial mass production plants, where animals are fattened to slaughter weight at high speed and sometimes using criminal methods.

Often enough chickens, turkeys, pigs and cattle suffer unimaginable agony only to end up on our plates as drug-contaminated food. Disgusting!

And the methods of some sausage and meat manufacturers, who pump their goods full of harmful additives or inferior production residues in order to maximize their profits, should also be pilloried.

Rather eat less meat, but better quality

But there is another way.

Consumers are not the only ones who choose their meat much more consciously than they did a few years ago and buy according to the motto: eat less meat but eat better quality meat. In 2022, the average meat consumption of a German fell to 52 kilograms, 12 kilograms less than in 1991.

There is also a growing understanding among livestock farmers and meat producers that you have to change in order to survive on the market: larger stables, better feed, less chemicals, no long animal transports, stress-free slaughtering, clean processing and transparent information for consumers.

It is now clear to everyone: The quality on the plate is directly related to the way the animals are kept.

Meat has never been as good as it is today – whether in restaurants, at the butcher or even in the supermarket. Large retail chains also offer steaks in premium and organic quality – good meat that you have to pay a little more for, but that you can enjoy healthy and without regrets.

Peas and worms: companies are tinkering with meat alternatives

The enthusiasm for meat, especially in Germany, is still high, even if there has been a contrary trend for years. The market for plant-based nutrition is booming, and vegetarian and vegan restaurants have opened up all over Germany. Companies around the world are trying out meat substitute products. But resounding market successes are a long time coming.

The US company Beyond Meat, for example, produces plant-based meat that, according to advertising, “tastes just as juicy as traditional meat”. It consists primarily of peas, brown rice, coconut oil and beetroot.

Although the production of a Beyond Burger is much more climate-friendly than a beef burger, the company has difficulty penetrating even eco-fans, which is also reflected in the economic balance sheet. Beyond Meat’s share price fell from EUR 162 in October 2022 to EUR 9.90 now.

German chains that offer purely vegan burgers are also struggling to survive. Some stores had to file for bankruptcy shortly after launch.

The latest craze is foods made from mealworms, crickets, grasshoppers and mold beetle larvae. The insect products are considered an alternative source of protein to meat or fish. While the consumption of insects has long been common in Asia, Latin America and Africa, the Germans are hesitant.

Beetles and worms as a snack between meals or on the grill? A strange idea for many. Then you’d rather have a well-hung piece of beef or a bratwurst, also with a salad.

FOCUS online focus: enjoyment without regret and ideology

The barbecue season has begun – and with it the meat season. Reason enough for FOCUS online to focus on the question of how to recognize good meat and what to consider when buying meat. Our readers can look forward to many exciting articles and videos this week – with some surprising results.

We talked shop with meat sommelier Dirk Ludwig about the best steak in Germany and visited a vegan butcher shop in Dresden. Top chef Andreas Krolik from the Frankfurt 2-star restaurant “Lafleur” introduced us to the secrets of vegan high-end cuisine. Of course we also tried an insect burger.

A food inspector told us which tricks are used to produce cheap meat today. A hunter explained why venison not only tastes good, but is also unbeatable in terms of sustainability, regionality and animal welfare. We also looked into the question of which solutions are already available to keep animals in a more species-appropriate manner, limit emissions and protect nature better.

Incidentally, the sausage dispute in Würzburg was settled at the last minute. After massive resistance to plans to offer only meatless food at the Port Summer Festival, the city gave in. Now there is also a regional organic bratwurst.

Go then.