In 1948, only three years after World War II, the United States, Great Britain, and France agreed to introduce the D-Mark (replacing the former Reichsmark) in West German territories to begin rebuilding the economy. However, this move infuriated their former ally, the Soviet Union, which countered by introducing instead the "Ostmark" in east German territories. Therefore, from 1948-1990, West Germany used the D-Mark, which was significantly more valuable, whereas East Germany used the Ostmark. Only after German reunification in 1990 did the whole country use the D-Mark, but shortly thereafter they integrated into the European Union and switched over to the Euro.
In grocery stores, a bottle of water can cost as low as 49 cents! In restaurants however, this price is usually higher, ranging from 3.50 to 6.00 euros for a small or large bottle.
Another interesting note, is that in Germany you can't usually get complimentary tap water, which is why I like to carry my own water bottle around with me!
The best meal I had this week was at a local cafe here in the city center of Leipzig. The cafe bakes their own bread and serves anything from housemade Zimtschnecken (cinnamon rolls) to soft sourdough sandwiches.
As I mentioned in my previous field note, bread is a special part of German culture and can look or taste completely different depending on where you are. This bakery made all of their bread in house, giving my sandwich a nice, unique taste.
