Mozartkugeln Fun Facts

Mozartkugeln postcard from Austria: a symbol of national pride

So much happened in 130 years of Mozartkugeln rich history. Mozart balls survived Great Depression, two world wars, oil crisis and country music, of course. They broke through Berlin wall and reached all the continents on this planet.
This collection of Mozartkugeln fun facts is not here only to amuse you, but also to save some Mozartkugeln biography details from oblivion. 

Did you know:

• Mozart had nothing to do with Mozart balls. Actually, he never even saw one as he died 99 years before the first Mozart ball came to be.
• Most of the Mozart balls are not balls at all. Believe it or not, here is a law that commands that only few brands are allowed to use perfect sphere shape, while the rest must have at least one flat surface.
• During 19th century Mozart balls were served on wooden sticks like lollipops. Tin foil came much, much later.
• In the first years after being invented, Mozart balls were known as "Mozart bonbons". The official name "Mozartkugeln" appeared some years after that. 
• Paul Fürst, the forefather of Mozartkugeln, had two major turning points in life. The first was when he invented Mozart balls. The second was when he forgot to put a patent on the invention. 
• "Fürst" confectionery in Salzburg still holds the world record over manual production of Mozart balls. They make 1,4 million od Mozartkugeln each year all by hands. 
• All famous Mozart ball brands today started as small family businesses in 19th century. Some of them are industry giants now, but still family owned.
• German Reber and Austrian Mirabell are the greatest Mozart ball producers in the world. Together they sell 270 millions of Mozart balls annually. It is 5.5 millions of metric tons of Mozart balls in weight each year. 
• Worldwide market consumes around 350 millions of pieces of Mozart balls each year. If you would start lining up all those Mozart balls into straight line starting from New York, you'd end up in Beijing(China) with enough Mozart balls left in pocked to reach Shanghai. 
• Mozart balls are the proof that the time is not on our side: it takes 150 minutes to make a single Mozart ball and 5 seconds to eat it. 
• "Mozartkugeln" brand name was the subject of long term legal dispute between Austrian and German governments. The Austrians won and the Germans now must use Mozart-Kugeln with the dash included.  
• The only kosher certified Mozartkugeln brand available in USA is Reber Mozart-Kugeln.
• In 2006, a single Mozart ball made 8,000 dollars of damage in Salzburg. But it wasn't made of chocolate. It was made of plastic and it was 5.2 feet in diameter. Instead of being tourist attraction it became rolling nightmare after a group of hooligans took it of pedestal and let it roll down the street.