© CC BY 2.5
Who invented the original Mozartkugel? What was its original name? How long has this delicacy been around and what exactly does it consist of? Why was there a legal dispute over the Mozartkugel?
Almost 100 years had passed since Mozart’s death and this had to be honored. For this reason, master confectioner Paul Fürst invented Mozart candies in Brodgasse in Salzburg in 1890 . He later called them Mozartkugeln and presented them at the 1905 Paris World ‘s Fair, where he promptly collected a gold medal .
It is a sweet delicacy made of green pistachio marzipan, surrounded by nougat and wrapped in a chocolate coat. To make it spherical, they made it on a stick that they pulled out after cooling. The hole was sealed with chocolate. The original by Paul Fürst is still used today in Handmade and with the purchase there is a corresponding certificate. You can recognize them by the silver packaging with blue inscription. Only this is the original Mozartkugel, which is also reflected with ca.€ 1,50 per Stk.
Unfortunately, the brand was not protected and industrially produced copies of confectioneries such as Holzermayr and Schatz quickly emerged. Thus, the descendants of Paul Fürst sought a legal dispute that ended with other producers having to use different names. At the Mirabell company they are now called “Echte Salzburger Mozartkugeln” or the Bavarian supplier Reber calls its “Echte Reber Mozart-Kugeln“.
15 employees of the original manufacturer Fürst make about 3 million balls per year by hand , while the largest industrial manufacturer Mirabell makes about 90 million per year . You can taste the comparison between the manually and industrially produced ball. Mirabell is the only one allowed to produce a complete round sphere, while all other imitators are allowed to produce a slightly flattened sphere. In Vienna, the Hofbauer company produces its own variant with milk and dark chocolate. Victor Schmidt’s “Austria Mozartkugeln” are produced by the Manner company.
The most common and can be found in all supermarkets is the Echte Salzburger Mozartkugel from Mirabell . For those who like the original, a visit to one of Fürst’s confectioneries in Salzburg or a purchase from the online store is definitely recommended. In addition to the Kugel, the Mirabell company invented the Mozarttaler in 1982, which enjoys great popularity due to the milk chocolate. The Mozarttafel has been in existence since 2002. Since 2011 Mirabell has been a sponsor of the Vienna Opera Ball and in 2012 a partnership with Mozarthaus Vienna follows.
No visit to Salzburg is completely without in the Confectionery Fürst an original Mozartkugel to have tasted. As a souvernir, the cheaper Echten Salzburger Mozartkugeln from Mirabell, which are available everywhere, are suitable…. The Confectionery Fürst remains faithful to its model of producing the original Mozartkugel as it was in the beginning, about 130 years ago, and selling it only in its own stores and not through other companies. Nothing should be lost in the exclusivity.
Requests from Meinl am Graben are repeatedly rejected. Meinl am Graben, which is known for its
luxury products is now producing its own Mozartkugeln in Vienna.
Timetravel Tip: At Mozarthaus Vienna there is a Mozartkugel workshop, i.e. you make your own Mozartkugel.