From studying law to becoming a café star: Doreen Bergmann inspires Thuringia!

From studying law to becoming a café star: Doreen Bergmann inspires Thuringia!

Doreen Bergmann, 48 years old and mother of four children, has achieved remarkable success with her café in Stelzendorf, Thuringia. She originally studied law and could have worked as a European lawyer, but her passion for baking led her down a different path. 14 years ago, she opened her café in a converted barn that she purchased with her husband, foregoing any business planning. Instead, she organized chairs, plates and registered the business. She describes her secret to success as a mixture of “hard work, fun and luck”.

The attention to her café came as a surprise. 15 years ago she received her first media request from a free magazine from Schleiz. The article about her quickly became popular and caused a rush of visitors wanting to try her cake. Since then, Doreen has appeared in various media, including ZDF, Spiegel-Online, Süddeutsche and the MDR program Riverboat. Last year, journalist Paul Ronzheimer from “Bild” also visited her café.

A life between the oven and politics

Doreen Bergmann, who never actively asked for coverage, remains down-to-earth despite her media presence and continues her everyday life as a mother and baker. In an interview with Ronzheimer, she expressed her political preference for the Greens, which led to a call from then Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck. In Zeulenroda, where she lives, 43.1 percent voted for the AfD, while the Greens only received 3.1 percent. Bergmann feels that the political bubble in her homeland is small, which is why she focuses on emphasizing positive aspects of life. “I want everyone around me to be happy,” she explains. Their plan is to expand this positive atmosphere throughout Thuringia.

Patisserie Bergmann has now been named one of the best cafés in Germany by “Feinschmecker” magazine. Guests come from far away to her café, which is located in a small town with only 73 inhabitants. Doreen has enjoyed baking since she was a child and shares two of her Christmas recipes: caramel pretzels and gingerbread from the tray. The caramel pretzels are made from spelled flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, egg, butter and caramel candies, while the gingerbread cookies are made from rye flour, sugar, plum jam, milk, gingerbread spice and baking soda.

Coffee as a cultural asset

Of course, coffee is also part of a café. This drink is the most popular in Germany, ahead of beer and mineral water. Germans take a lot of time to enjoy their coffee, which contrasts with other countries where coffee is often consumed hastily. Coffee was originally a luxury item for the wealthy, but industrial roasting in the 1950s lowered prices and increased access for all. Coffee klatschs are now a social event in Germany and bring people of all ages together.

Popular accompaniments to coffee are pastries such as crumb cake, cheesecake and the famous Black Forest cake. Numerous guests come together in Doreen's Café to enjoy good food and the convivial atmosphere. Her café is not only a place for enjoyment, but also for encounters - a combination that she would like to maintain. Opening a second café is out of the question for her because she values ​​direct contact with her guests.

While Doreen Bergmann's success is remarkable, she remains true to her roots. She is a living example of how passion and hard work can come together to make dreams come true.

You can find detailed information about Doreen Bergmann and her work here: MDR and under Picture. Further interesting facts about coffee in Germany can be found here: Goethe Institute.