Permanent exhibition Sugar Museum (Berlin)

1 permanent exhibition

1.1 sugarcane
1.2 sugar in colonialism
1.3 slave trade
1.4 sugar beet in prussia
1.5 sugar production
1.6 world without sugar
1.7 no alcohol without sugar

permanent exhibition

the long-time director of sugar museum, hubert olbrich, said in 1989 purpose show , bring before public history , development of sugar staple food of humanity, how obtained , how used . museum s permanent exhibits cover science , nutrition of sugar , history technological, cultural , political standpoints. organised 7 thematic groups:

sugarcane

this section describes biology , cultivation history of sugarcane (saccharum spp.), use more 10,000 years ago natives of melanesia source of nutrition first report of in west generals of alexander great, successive improvements in sugar refining , planting on island of hispaniola. exhibits include sugar harvesting , refining machinery , information on agricultural pests affect sugar.

sugar in colonialism

since climate in caribbean suited growing sugar, beginning in 16th century, sugar major product of western colonialism. refining sugar in colonies grown legally discouraged or forbidden, shipped europe. exhibits include models of ships used , portray development of major centres of sugar trading , refining in cities antwerp, amsterdam, bordeaux, hamburg , london , hard conditions workers in both sugar plantations , sugar refineries. in european refineries, sugar industry pioneered use of guest workers, in england predominantly germans, had reputation hard work, humour, , ability withstand heat.

the slave trade

the great demand sugar in europe , resulting ever increasing need plantation workers led near extinction of natives , made sugar production dependent on african slaves. current estimates between 1500 , 1850, 20 million people forcibly transported americas. exhibits in sklavenwirtschaft / plantagenwirtschaft (slave trade / plantation trade) section of museum depict inhumane conditions on slave ships , give glimpses lives of workers in new world. european demand sugar great, however, , resulting wealth of west india interest influential, despite boycott efforts of anti-sacharrites , not until sugar made sugar beets did antislavery advocates prevail, example did in england in 1807 passage of slave trade act.

the sugar beet in prussia

friedrich wilhelm iii empfängt achard clara elisabeth fischer



unlike sugar cane, sugar beet can grown , harvested in germany.

the discovery of beet sugar changed sugar luxury mass commodity in berlin in little on century. exhibits in section of museum include model of first sugar beet processing plant in world, built in silesia in 1801, demonstrates both progress required before sugar industrially produced, , working conditions in such plants. 14-part diorama shows steps in production of sugar sugar beets in nauen around 1920.

in addition, large 1903 painting clara elisabeth fischer, commissioned e.o. von lippmann museum, depicts fictional scene of franz carl achard, inventor of beet sugar, presenting discovery king frederick william iii in form of sugarloaf; achard sent beet sugar king. known varieties of sugar beet today descend plants developed achard on 20 years of selective breeding in kaulsdorf.

sugar production

with increasing industrialisation, sugar beets became staple food in germany. section of museum covers geographic distribution of sugar production in germany, advances in cultivation , processing on past 100 years, , economic , ecological significance of byproducts such molasses , bagasse; production of biodegradeable plastics, ethanol , yeast examples of broader context of sugar industry.

a world without sugar

this section of museum tells consumer side of story of sugar since 18th century, use status symbol, medicinal cure , everyday element used far more in foods realised. 1 display area shows luxury items of porcelain or precious metals made hold sugar when expensive item.

exhibits explore issues of relationship between sugar consumption , health , present alternative sweeteners, depict fundamental role of sugar means of delivering energy in both plants , animals. sugar can never totally replaced other sweeteners.

no alcohol without sugar

for @ least 7,000 years, people have been fermenting sugary liquids produce alcohol (ethanol). section of museum, housed in winter garden, covers discovery of alcohol (probably consumption of fermented fruit) , history of use of sugar make wine, beer , distilled alcoholic beverages such whisky , brandy, far sumerians, brewed beer 6,000 years ago.