Great popularity on the baking day: sugar cakes and a sociable atmosphere!

Great popularity on the baking day: sugar cakes and a sociable atmosphere!

Yesterday a festival was celebrated on the bakery grounds in Heiden that united all generations. In midsummer temperatures and under the almost completed terrace roof, the chairman of the local history association, Kurt Hapke, welcomed the numerous visitors who had come to the Holzener Baking Day. The community project, which lasted over a year and was thanks to many volunteers, was celebrated with a big thank you to seven regional companies and four private donors who generously supported the project.

The event offered a sociable get-together where, in addition to oven-fresh sugar cake, chilled strawberry punch and hearty rolls were on the menu. Families with children were particularly happy about the sociable atmosphere. The invitation to all helpers and sponsors to the upcoming presentation of the project after construction work has been completed underlines the community spirit of this initiative.

The development of the bakery

The new bakery in Heiden, which will soon also offer bread baking courses, has an interesting origin story. Construction work began in the summer of 2024, and a wooden frame structure with rustic clinker bricks was erected in the old Westphalian style. With this project, the Heiden local history association also aims to actively pass on the culture of bread baking. The first test baking took place on March 7, 2025, in which sourdough-based bread was baked. The result: an hour of freshly baked mixed bread that passed the taste test with flying colors.

The location of the bakery was strategically chosen, right next to Kilian's chapel and the homestead, in order to be easily accessible to the village community. A stone oven, fired with beech wood, awaits the future bakers. The installation of a new kitchen in the bakery and a seating area with a parasol has further improved the ambience and invites you to linger.

A look at tradition

Historically, communal bakehouses have played an important role in communities. Until the middle of the 20th century, they were essential for the food supply and social interaction of the villagers. Unfortunately, many bakehouses have fallen out of sight over time due to growing wealth and industrial production. But in times of increasing awareness of healthy eating and regional products, they are experiencing a renaissance.

With demographic change and increasing cultural diversity in the villages, these places are becoming important for community life again. Another example of this is the planned village bakery in Hergatz, which will also serve as a contact point and cultural center. It shows how interest in traditional crafts is growing again and how the village community can be strengthened.

Finally, the next dates for the public should also be mentioned: The Ith-Hils hiking day will take place on September 7th, followed by the autumn baking day on September 27th. Everyone is warmly invited to enjoy the new bakery atmosphere and the delicacies!

Further information about the progress of the construction work and the upcoming events can be found on the website of the local history association Heimatverein Heiden and on meine-onlinezeitung.de.