Pork – Lucky Pigs, Muslim Refugees, and the Rise of Environmentalism

Pigs have been a symbol of luck for hundreds of years in Germany. This classic farm animal lies at the intersection of three interesting German topics: tradition, immigrants and refugees, and environmentalism. Germany is the EU’s largest hog-raising and pork-consuming country; however, German pork consumption has dropped 10% since 2011. The decrease in pork consumption was steeper than the rise in beef and chicken consumption, meaning overall meat consumption in Germany has also dropped. Surprisingly enough, Germany has the highest percentage of vegetarians as a share of its population out of European countries.  Some schools, nurseries, and other public canteens have been removing pork from their menus, as the country has absorbed over 1 million refugees from predominantly Muslim nations like Syria and Afghanistan. There has been some political lash back over these pork-free menus, as some believe the option to eat pork should not be completely removed. Alternatively, this past Christmas, Germany saw 15 meat-free Christmas markets, which are a beloved tradition close to the heart of German culture. German Christmas markets were the first reason why I fell in love with the country and its culture. As a vegan, it will be interesting to see how German meat culture and their environmental goals intersect, and how this intersection shifts depending on the situation.