Bagels were invented in the Jewish communities of Poland in the early 17th century. The first written mention of bagels appeared in 1610 in Krakow's Jewish community regulations, where they were noted as a gift to women after childbirth. The bagel was created as a boiled, then baked, dense bread with a hole in the middle, making it durable and portable. It is believed that bagels evolved from a German predecessor called "beugel" or "obwarzanek," a boiled ring-shaped bread that Jewish bakers adapted. The circular shape of the bagel symbolized continuity and good fortune. Later, Jewish immigrants brought bagels to the United States, particularly New York City, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where they became a popular staple.
There is also a story that bagels were invented in 1683 by a Viennese baker as a tribute to King Jan Sobieski of Poland, who was known for his love of horses. The baker shaped the dough into a stirrup-like ring called "beugel" in German. While this story is more mythical, it is part of the cultural lore surrounding the bagel's origin.
In summary, bagels originated in Poland within Jewish communities as a special bread dating back to the early 1600s, with roots linked to boiled ring breads from Central Europe.
