The döner kebab has a meaty role in German society
It is a diplomatic tool as well as a tasty, cheap meal
“I have an onion on my head/I am a kebab/because kebab makes you more beautiful.” It is no surprise that the lyrics of “Döner macht schöner”, a German hit from 2004, do not deliver quite the same emotional payload in English. In Britain the kebab is a byword for drunken excess, devoured before bed and recalled in shame. In Germany, especially its capital, it is a more exalted affair. Every Berliner has a favoured Dönerladen. Many build family outings around them.
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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “The rest is shishtory”
From the June 29th 2024 edition
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