Every year on the second Friday of February, in the upper banqueting hall in Bremen's town hall, the 'Schaffermahlzeit'¹ takes place. It is a traditional fraternity dinner for ship's captains, ship owners and merchants since 1544.

Originally, this meal's purpose was to gather donations for retired sailors and their families, but it also served as a farewell dinner for the seamen that were sailing in springtime, along with the opportunity to discuss all topics concerning navigation, politics, trade and industry². Over the years, the Schaffermahl developed into a social event where ship's captains, merchants and their guests and out-of-town business partners are invited, but it is still beneficial for a donation that supports retired seamen and their families³. It is indeed a very traditional event, though, and very little changes ever take place.

The Schaffermahl has about 300 participants; there are 100 commercial members, 100 nautical members, and about 100 out-of-town guests are invited annually. To be invited to the Schaffermahl, one has to be considered a man of merit, having done a great service to either Bremen, Germany or for international trade. Every non-local guest, however, could only participate once in his lifetime. Each year, one guest of honour is invited - usually a public figure who is supposed to make a speech on Germany and Bremen. Recent Guests of Honour have been the German Chancellor, the German Foreign Minister, Ministers President of neighbouring federal states in Germany, and, last but not least, the former Ambassador of the US in Germany, John Kornblum.

The meal is organised by three elected 'Schaffer', who not only have to organise the event, but also have to pay the meal all by themselves. So, while it is considered a great honour to be elected as a Schaffer, the gentlemen being elected usually have the financial background to fulfill this job. Another duty is that the Schaffer and their wives have to taste the dishes at exactly 13:00 on the day of the meal.

The Order of Courses

Being a traditional meal, it is not surprising that the courses are also highly regulated; the whole meal is derived from simple sailor's diet. For over 30 years, the same Head Chef is responsible for preparing the meal, and one of the only things he ever changed is the sort of potato, reportedly because of quality issues.

Courses

1. Chicken Soup
2. 'Seefahrerbier' (sea fare beer), a dark beer brewed especially for this occasion by the local brewery Beck & Co.
3. Dried cod with mustard sauce and potatoes.
4. The main course (meat course): Brown (green) cabbage with a local speciality 'Pinkel', salted and smoked pork, sweet chestnut and fried potatoes⁴.
5. Roast veal with celery salad, prunes and steamed apples.
6. Riga flounder, anchovies, German sausage, ox's tongue, a collection of cheese and some fruits, just in case someone's still hungry.

After the meal, coffee is served and clay pipes are to be smoked, these are manufactured especially for this event. Every hundred years, there is a second fish course after the dried cod; the last time this happened was 1996.

Etiquette

• Only men are allowed to participate. This has proved its worth for more than 400 years, so why change it?

• All participants are supposed to either wear a tailcoat, or uniform in case they are actually a commissioned officer on a ship.

• If you are ever invited to the Schaffermahlzeit as a guest, rent a tailcoat rather early, as they are always sold out in Bremen by mid-January.

• While the Schaffermahl is a very festive event, it is deliberately different from eating out in a fancy restaurant: Every guest only gets one set of cutlery, one is supposed to wipe it clean with a piece of paper laid out and to use it again for every course. Moreover, salt shaker and pepper caster are put on the table and it is no faux pas to use them actually.

• The whole meal lasts about five hours; during its course 12 speeches are to be held by the three Schaffer and the Guest of Honour. While this doesn't sound too bad in the first place, one has to consider that the seats are reportedly very uncomfortable and narrow, and, more important, the guests are only allowed to go to the facilities in a prescribed smoke-and-pee-break towards the end of the meal.

• While women are not allowed to the meal itself, the participant's wives are supposed to accompany their spouses to the event, and, while the men are at the meal, to chit-chat and to have some coffee in a room nearby, whilst showing off their latest evening dress.