Fourteenth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

The paper is based on field research conducted in a Banat (Serbia) village, which the Danube-Swabians mostly populated until the end of WWII. The interviewees represent the second and third generations of the Danube-Swabian families who remained. The willingness to talk about German heritage through the means of food and female household leaders put the focus of this research on culinary practices, thus posing the question of why all the interviewees gravitated towards this topic. By relying on the notions of semiospheres (Lotman 1990), the paper investigates food-related cultural elements, such as customs, the technology of food preparation, and the transferring of culinary knowledge, thereby analyzing narratives surrounding the topic. Historical circumstances and current socio-cultural background of the interviewees shall be taken into account since they represent an important element in research on the Danube-Swabian community. This microhistorical example ought to contribute to the importance of immaterial elements in preserving culture and building a sense of belonging.