Berlin, 23 July 2026 – On 22 July 2026, the rye field at the Chapel of Reconciliation on the grounds of the Berlin Wall Memorial was harvested for the 21st time. At the same time, it marked the fourteenth harvest to take place as part of the PeaceBread project.
The approximately 2,000 m² rye field in the former border strip is an important part of the Berlin Wall Memorial. The rye serves as a reminder of Germany’s division while also symbolising that new life and new growth are possible after separation and violence.
For the past 20 years, students from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin have been responsible for sowing, cultivating and harvesting the rye field, thereby making an important contribution to preserving this unique place of remembrance.
While weather conditions on the day of the harvest were changeable, the high temperatures during the approximately ten-day heatwave in June led to an increased number of so-called shriveled grains, resulting in a lower yield than in previous years. The harvest amounted to approximately 300 to 400 kilograms. The rye will be processed into bread, rolls and communion wafers. Part of the rye flour will also be combined with flour from the eleven Central and South Eastern European partner countries, as well as from the two host countries of the International Conference “Peace and Agriculture”, to produce a pan-European PeaceBread. It stands as a symbol of cross-border cooperation and the shared commitment to peace, reconciliation and mutual understanding across Europe.
The PeaceBread is traditionally baked each year in the host country of the International Conference “Peace and Agriculture”. The upcoming 12th conference will take place in Bulgaria from 6 to 9 October 2026. During the conference, the PeaceBread will be ceremonially handed over to Lithuania, the host country of the 2027 conference, symbolically passing the baton to the next host nation.
