Stollen Association

Protecting the Cultural Artifact, Preserving the Craft, Maintaining the Tradition

Since 1991 the Dresdner Stollen Association represents the interests of Dresden’s stollen bakers and pastry makers. They took it upon them to protect Dresdner Christstollen as a brand and protect its geographical indication. The result of which are the golden stollen seal and the EU quality label, that mark the brand with its geographical indication in the European Union. Since 2010 the name Dresden Christstollen is registered at the German Patent Office with several device marks and word marks.

 

Additionally the Stollen Association heavily promotes Dresdner Christstollen as a brand in Germany and globally. To do so, they organize many events like the Dresdner Stollenfest, the stollen exhibition in the giant stollen box, the hands-on bakeries , the adventure bakeries and of course the Dresdner Stollenmädchen. By organizing these events, Dresden's bakers and pastry makers achieve something very unique - they create a stollen experience that is based on traditions and craft, while establishing a brand that is globally known as an ambassador of the free state of Saxony.

 

All for One - The Association's Work

The members of the Stollen Association are organized through the association's charter. According to them, only Dresdner Christstollen that is baked by bakers in Dresden and a clearly defined surrounding area is allowed to be sold as Dresdner Christstollen.

Through the certificate of quality, the golden seal, and the EU quality label, that protects the geographical indication, the Stollen Associations guarantees that the stollen's quality is tested and that it remains consistently high. To insure this the Christstollen of every member of the Stollen Association undergoes a stollentesting every year, where a jury examines the pastry carefully. Only bakeries and pastry shops whose stollen passes the quality check are allowed to sell their stollen as real Dresdner Christstollen. 

       

In 2021 the brand "Dresdner Christstollen" received the award "brand of the century" for the second time already. Additionally, the publisher Deutsche Standards (German Standards) awarded the Stollen Association the "Markenpreis der Deutschen Standards". This award honors the successful work of the brand - communication and marketing - regarding the traditional Dresden pastry.

 

 

Where Stollen is Baked – The Association's Area

Dresdner Christstollen is only allowed to be produced in Dresden and a clearly defined surrounding area around the Saxon capital. This area reaches from the Saxon Elbland with Weinböhla, Moritzburg und Radebeul all the way to Pirna and Heidenau in Saxon Switzerland. In the North the boundaries of the area are marked by Ottendorf-Okrilla and Radeburg and in the East by Radeberg. Even in the South of Dresden, in Freital, it is allowed to bake Dresdner Christstollen.

 

Even Raisins and Crumbs - The Stollen Test

As the owner of the brand "Dresdner Christstollen" the Stollen Association distributes the golden seal as a certificate that guarantees the high quality of the ingredients and their traditional processing. Every year at the beginning of the stollen season, an independent council commissioned by the Stollen Association tries and examines the stollen made by more than 120 tradition bakeries and pastry shops. 

During the 18-day long testing period, the very strict jury tests the different stollen. Each stollen is assessed by the criteria set by the association's constitution and the EU specification through a point system. Assessed are the inner and outer texture, the smell and the taste. Only stollen that reach a specific number of points and thereby meet the strict quality requirements are granted to get the desired quality seal and are allowed to be sold as Dresdner Christstollen. 

Traditionally one of the tastings is held publicly. Stollen lovers and interested parties have the chance to look over the jury's shoulder.

 

Other Interesting Topics

The Stollen Association

The Stollen Association, called »Schutzverband Dresdner Stollen e.V.«, represents the interests of the stollen bakeries and pastry shops from Dresden and its surrounding areas.

The Stollen Seal

The golden seal guarantees that the stollen complies with the certified constant and high quality that is demanded of every Dresdner Christstollen.

The Stollenmädchen

The representative of a centuries-old tradition. The Dresdner Stollenmädchen represents Saxony’s most famous Christmas pastry.

News

All news and highlights of the Dresdner Stollen and Dresden's stollen bakeries.

Dresdner Christstollen

A traditional pastry made with excellence, craftsmanship, passion, history and culture.

Dresden's Stollen Bakeries

The Stollen Association counts members from Dresden and its close surrounding areas.