Skilled Workers | Feature About a Qualified Baker   Mornings at the “Backpfeife” Bakery

Wael Zefzef works as a baker in Berlin-Mitte. Deaf since birth, the Tunisian moves deftly between flour, dough and hot baking trays, demonstrating the craft of baking doesn’t depend on hearing. Every movement is deliberate, steady and precise.

It’s 7.30 in the morning. Warm light streams through the large windows of the Backpfeife bakery at the entrance to the Holzmarkt area of Berlin-Mitte. Outside, the air is frosty, inside, it smells of freshly baked bread and coffee. Idyllically located on the banks of the river Spree, the Holzmarkt is home to cafés, a wine shop, artist studios – and this small bakery, where craftsmanship and inclusion go hand in hand.

The bakery buzzes with activity. Wael Zefzef (born 1995) and his boss Mattis Harpering (born 1986) start their day at six in the morning. Sourdough, rye, spelt whole-grain breads, apple-cinnamonrolls and pretzels – the day’s offerings are displayed on a screen along side lists of ingredients and a schedule. The oven is on full blast. In the cramped space, the two men work side by side with quiet focus and precision.

Communicating Without Words

Wael – wearing baker’s trousers and a white T-shirt – stands by the large industrial mixer. He smiles as he demonstrates what he’s working on, his hands move as if kneading – meaning “dough” in sign language. Wael has been deaf since birth. No one on the team is fully fluent in sign language, but Mattis has picked up the basics. “I have to practice again after every holiday,” he says. The other members of the team have also learned the most important signs. The rest is communicated through facial expressions, gestures and routine. A remarkably smoothform of communication has developed. Today, a sign language interpreter is on hand to assist.

Tight Space, Smooth Workflows

Backpfeife is a small operation. The bakery and shop together measure just 40 square metres, divided only by a glass partition. Customers can watch as their bread is being made. The baking team consists of master baker Mattis, trained baker Wael and apprentice Pascal, who is at college today. Other staff handle sales and bike deliveries. This morning, the shop is busy: parents on their way to kindergarten, early-morning tourists and regulars wait their turn behind the counter. Sales assistant Cami greets everyone with a friendly smile as she wraps pretzel sticks and filled rolls.

Backpfeife prioritises quality and a personal touch: organic flour and a carefully curated selection of products aimed at a clearly defined clientele. “We specialise in bread, rolls and snacks because there are a lot of tourists here,” explains owner Mattis Harpering. Location is crucial for a small business like this. “We survive because we’re in a good spot. We have customers who are willing to pay five to eight euros for a loaf of bread.”

Clear Division of Labour

In the baking room, every movement is deliberate. Space is tight, but the atmosphere remains calm. Everything has its purpose: the dough mixer, worktable, fridge and large oven. With barely enough room for two people, a clear division of labour is essential. Today, Mattis is baking while Wael prepares new dough. Hetipsflour, carrot and seeds for the “Autumn Bread” into the shiny metal mixer, tests the consistency with his hands and adds a littlemore water. “Bread dough is sensitive,” he explains later. Temperature, flour quality, even the weather outside – all pay a role. Once the dough reaches the right smoothness, Wael gives a thumbs-up – a sign everyone understands: perfect. The dough is left to rest for several hours before being shaped. It doesn’t go into the oven until thefollowing morning. These days, things are done differently.

Skills Shortage and Trades in Transition

The skilled trade sector is undergoing a profound transformation. The shortage of skilled workers remains a major problem in Germany. According to the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH), around 250,000 positions remained unfilled in 2025 alone. The baking trade is no exception. According to the Food, Beverages and Catering Union (NGG), the number of bakeries has fallen by almost 30 percent since 2014. Over the past decade, the number of apprentices has nearly halved (2024: around 8,500 apprentices), with roughly a quarter coming from migrant backgrounds. Many businesses are now turning to skilled workers from abroad or individuals who previously had limited opportunities in the labour market.

Mattis Harpering feels the pressure, too. “If we want to survive, we have to try new approaches,” he concludes. The industry has to become more attractive – offer better working hours, new training concepts and a culture of openness. This is already happening at Backpfeife. Night shifts area thing of the past: dough is prepared the day before, refrigerated overnight and baked fresh each morning. This makes the job more family-friendly – and the team happier. Unlike many other businesses, he doesn’t have a problem finding young talent; word has evidently spread about the bakery’s positive work culture.

From Tunesia to Berlin

Nine o’clock – time for a break. Outside the bakery, in the sunshine, Wael talks about his journey to Germany with the help of an interpreter. He says he came here from Tunisia ten years ago – with no training, but plenty of enthusiasm. “Where I come from, there are no schools for the deaf,” he explains. “People with disabilities face severe discrimination.” Wael taught himself International Sign (IS), took on odd jobs and eventually left home in search of opportunities. He had already considered becoming a baker while still in Tunisia.

After arriving in Berlin, he learned German and German Sign Language, and he worked for an inclusion company – some of the time in the Holzmarkt area, where he met Mattis Harpering. “Wael was so expressive in his gestures that many people didn’t even realise he was deaf,” Harpering recalls. A supervisor facilitated the contact, and in 2021, Wael began his formal apprenticeship.

Learning with Obstacles

The practical side came naturally to him. “I learn by watching,” explains Wael. Vocational college, however, was more of a problem – having to cope with the special vocabulary, texts and exams. A supervisor helped with translations and accompanied him to class. Three years later, in September 2024, Wael passed his apprenticeship exams.

Wael’s job in Backpfeife is also the result of systematic support. German enterprises that hire employees with disabilities can access avariety of programmes. The Federal Employment Agency, integration offices and chambers of crafts offer integration subsidies, funding for workplace adaptations and assistance with technical modifications. Additional support from specialised agencies helps businesses turn inclusion into practical, everyday practice.

“At first, the paperwork was a real hurdle,” recalls Mattis Harpering. But support was available – allowances for interpreters, grants and expert advice. The apprenticeship salary was fully covered by the employment office, and 60 percent was paid during Wael’s first year as a qualified baker. “I think a lot of businesses are put off by all the effort involved,” says Harpering. “But you have to be patient and focus on the person, not the disability. What matters is whether someone fits into your team; whether they have the right energy and attitude. Everything else can be arranged.”

Inclusion in Everyday Life

After the break, work in the bakery continues. Wael shapes cinnamon rolls and pretzels, which are sold in the shop fresh from the oven. “I love what I make here,”he says. “Especially pretzels. I can get really absorbed in my work.”

Sales assistant Cami pops in. She’s Italian, but speaks English. Mattis responds, translating simultaneously into sign language for Wael. They both laugh – it’s a form of communication that simply works. In the bakery, inclusion isn’t a concept, it’s a lived reality. “At first, I wasn’t sure if it would work,” admits Mattis. “But then I got to know him. And when you truly care, you find a way.”

A New Daily Routine

Wael nods as he hears this. “There are still barriers here, of course. Germany isn’t a paradise for the deaf,” he now knows. “But I’ve had opportunities here that I would never have had in Tunisia.” Wael shapes the last loaves for the next day, places them in the fridge and then rinses his hands under the tap. It’s almost 2 p.m.– finishing time. He plans to meet friends later. The apprenticeship was tough. Now it’s time to settle in, earn money, build something, maybe even save a little – “enjoy normal life and relax a bit”.

January 2026