Germany is no stranger to battles, and after World War II, it was again rebuilding itself not only physically but psychologically. During the long-fought battles, propaganda dehumanized enemy nationalities. German perceptions of the Allies were formed mostly through what they read. Post-war, Allied military had been stationed throughout Berlin. After years of bloodshed, peace and cultural exchanges were moving towards diplomatic relations.

Civilians could meet Allied troops and form their own views. Soldiers understood that their presence involved far more than guarding. One of them was introducing Germans to personal homegrown cooking techniques. Food is a basic need, but it serves another powerful function. It communicates ideas, tastes, style, everyday life and brings people together.

ln 1949, Herta Charlotte Heuwer, born in Königsberg, approached a British soldier in the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes for food. She traded spirits for ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and curry powder– a British favorite. "Curry" is a British word misinterpreted to describe "kari," an Indian sauce including meats and fishes. That has its own rough history, with the British becoming aware of the food during their occupation.

Mixing those ingredients with other specialties, Heuwer poured them on a sliced, grilled pork sausage. Her goal was to make a fulfilling meal with little, household resources. It was not a lavish five-course meal, but the flavors, high protein, and low cost did the job in an era where poverty was rising.

On Sep. 4, 1949, her creation would take to the streets in Berlin’s Charlottenburg. A modest stand, it was run on Kantstraße corner to Kaiser-Friedrichs-Straße. Her biggest initial customers were construction workers, fixing bombed buildings and working on new projects where rubble lay in ruins.

By 1951, her sauce was a hit, leading to her patenting it as "Chillup." Transcending social expectations and rising from its poor-man's origin, all socioeconomic classes eat currywurst. Every year, 800 million currywursts are eaten in Germany. 2,000 stands exist in Berlin alone, ready for residents and curious tourists. It is to Germans what a hot dog is to a New Yorker.

Served on a paper plate, part of its allure is reusable potential for mostly non-food sources. After all, Berlin is one of the most environmentally-friendly green European cities. What makes matters more interesting is how it rejects traditional German slow food dining style. Inexpensive, easy to mass produce, paper allowed for fast servings without the need to clean dishes. It can be eaten on-the-go rather than seated.

Currywurst has been the focus of novels, documentaries and has received placement in television and films. A notable mention is The Currywurst Museum, located in Berlin’s historic Mitte region. Fittingly, it is just one block from Checkpoint Charlie, a Cold War-era Berlin Wall crossing point. Visitors can walk through sausage-themed furniture, watch videos of currywurst-centered shows, and sample the dish.

Heuwer also got a taste of fame. Becoming Germany’s sweetheart, she took to talk shows as a guest. Hosts and viewers were as interested in her as they were trying to get the special recipe. Passing away in 1999, she took it to her grave.

As you exit the city in any direction, currywurst is still familiar but not at hyper-popularity levels. Each area tends to have their own variants, intended to reflect the identity within a country. Some of the evolved different styles include french fries on the side and different flavors.

The cuisine is small in stature, but it is an artifact in Berlin's rise to the prosperous city it is today.