TMB Foreign Press Newsletter October Issue 2018

Theodor Fontane´s 200th Birthday

In 2019, Brandenburg will celebrate, among other things, the 200^th birthday of Theodor Fontane, known locally as the “regional” poet. He wrote works such as Effi Briest, the poem about Squire Ribbeck of Ribbeck in Havelland (https://www.vonribbeck.de/ribbeck-international/) and of course his travelogues “Wanderings through the March of Brandenburg”. Brandenburg State will celebrate his birthday (30.12.2019) with a series of exhibitions and events. For plant lovers, for example, there will be “Plants in Fontane´s Works and his Time”, an exhibition of selected plants in moving containers in the Temple Garden in Neuruppin. From 27 April to 29 October 2019, the main exhibition fontane.200/Author will be for those particularly interested in culture and history.

It takes the visitor right into the centre of Theodor Fontane´s world of writing and text. Where does he get his ideas? How does he invent his characters? Why do some things keep appearing in his novels, why do others remain hidden? Guided tours of Neuruppin Museum, the Villa Quandt and the Fontane Archives in Potsdam will be available on request from 30 March to 30 December 2019. Here you will find the most extensive and authentic “traces” of Theodor Fontane´s life and work. Alongside thousands of manuscripts and historic prints, there are paintings, drawings and photographs, a large part of his handed-down reference library, as well as personal documents such his pharmacist´s certificates, his diaries and his account books. Enquiries (please send well in advance) to fontanearchiv@uni-potsdam.de www.reiseland-brandenburg.de/veranstaltungen-hoehepunkte/fontane-200/ EN https://fontane-200.de/en/ and PL https://fontane-200.de/pl/

Bauhaus 100

The second reason to visit Brandenburg will be a celebration of architecture – the centenary of the founding of Bauhaus. The important location here will be the ADGB Trade Union School in Bernau – in many respects still relatively unknown, but well worth a visit. The school previously belonging to the “Allgemeiner Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund” is a complex of educational and administration buildings in Bernau-Waldfrieden, a district to the north of Berlin. Hannes Meyer, together with Hans Wittwer and some of the Bauhaus students, designed it. Built between 1928 and 1930, it became a listed building in 1977. In July 2017, the school was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bernau is quick and easy to reach by S-Bahn train from Berlin. From Bernau station, it is best to take a taxi, otherwise there are buses or you can cycle. Tours in German and English will explain the function of the building. DE: www.bauhaus-denkmal-bernau.de/

New Hotel Openings

Brandenburg on the Havel. Havelhotel

In spring 2018, a new hotel opened in Brandenburg on the Havel. Mario and Katrin Mischker, the owners of the Hotel Molkenmarkt bought the seminary building complex and converted it into a modern hotel. An art nouveau villa with a spacious holiday apartment on the first floor also belongs to the hotel. In the ground floor rooms, celebrations are held in the elegant atmosphere of a villa. The hotel is right behind the Cathedral Island on a tongue of land belonging to the Krakauer Vorstadthavel district. All the city´s attractions, including St. Peter and Paul´s Cathedral, St Gotthard´s Church – where Loriot was christened – the old town and the town hall are within walking distance. www.havelhotel.de/

Spend the Night in a Tree House

One of the new places to stay in Brandenburg is Gut Gollin. It is located in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve, around 60 km northeast of Berlin, in one of the largest unbroken forests in Germany. Accommodation includes four tree houses with the appropriate-sounding names of “Waldgefluster” (Forest Whispers), “Entenstrich” (Ducks in Flight), “Hexenhaus” (Witch`s Cottage) and “Jagdhütte” (Hunting Lodge). The tree houses can accommodate up to four people. The holiday cottages on the estate are a touch more conventional. Adequate shower and washing facilities are located in the hostel building about 200-300 metres away. Gut Gollin is ideal for a farm holiday and just the place for those looking to buy and enjoy local produce. www.baumhaushotel-uckermark.de/baumhaushotel

Lake Werbellin: Fontane Hotel

The elegant, family-run Fontane Hotel in Altenhof, on Lake Werbellin (about an hour by car from Berlin), opened on 1.6.2018. It has 23 comfortably furnished rooms and a restaurant serving German and international dishes cooked using locally sourced, regional produce. The restaurant menu changes daily. From the roof terrace, guests have a breath-taking view of the surrounding countryside. Lake Werbellin is one of the most attractive lakes in the region. Theodor Fontane described it as a “fairytale place”. The lake is located in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve and attracts water sports enthusiasts, anglers and divers alike. At a depth of 60 metres, it is the second deepest lake in Brandenburg. There is a 25-kilometre walking trail around the lake. EN: https://fontanehotel.com/ or PL: https://fontanehotel.com/

New Attractions

Barefoot Park and Treetop Walkway

Alongside the “Baum und Zeit” treetop walkway, there is a new barefoot trail in Beelitz (about half an hour by car from Potsdam). It is ideal for a day out with the whole family. Discover what nature feels like underneath your bare feet! EN: https://baumundzeit.de/english/ and PL: https://baumundzeit.de/polski/

Roller Coaster at Karl´s Strawberry Farm

Since the spring, there has been a roller coaster at Karl´s Strawberry Farm – 24 m high, 530 m long and with cars that reach a speed of up to 60 kmh! Who dares? https://www.karls.de/elstal.html

A New Kind of Fun in the Spreewelten Bad

From December onwards, the Spreewelten Bad in Lübbenau (two hours by car to the south east of Berlin) will re-open after a major refurbishing. From then on, water-lovers will be able to have great fun trying out the giant slide, the Roman thermal baths, the jet stream canal, the whirlpool and the penguins. Enjoy the fun! EN https://www.spreewelten.de/en.html and PL https://www.spreewelten.de/pl.html

Neuzelle Abbey: Heavenly Theater

From 10.10.2018, a newly restored scene from the Neuzelle depictions of the Passion will be on display in the Heavenly Theater Museum. The scene showing Jesus before Caiaphas will be shown together with the picture of the “Judas Kiss”. The depictions of the Passion date back to 1751 and are a unique testimony to the history of European art and culture. The dramatization of the story of the Passion in the museum enables visitors to experience the bygone world of the Baroque. DE www.stift-neuzelle.de/?site=1.5

Harry Potter at Babelsberg Film Park

Harry Potter™: The Exhibition will be held on 1,600 m² of exhibition space in the Caligari Hall at Babelsberg Film Park. From 13.10.2018, the young wizard`s German fans will be able to see at close range thousands of props, costumes and creatures from the films. In the exhibition, visitors will experience the original atmosphere inspired by the Hogwarts ™ film set and gain an insight into the amazing craftsmanship behind the real costumes, trinkets and creatures of the movies. Guests will be welcomed by a guide, who will escort several happy fans into their favourite houses at Hogwarts and then into the exhibition, where their journey to their favourite scenes from the Harry Potter Films begins. The Harry Potter Exhibition 2018 features settings from the most famous film locations, including the Gryffindor™ common room and dormitory, the potions and herbology classrooms and the Forbidden Forest. These are filled with thousands of props, costumes and magical creatures, used during the filming of the iconic productions. Alongside the impressive room sets and displays, there are several interactive elements to the exhibition. Guests can enter the Quidditch™ pitch and throw a Quaffle ball, produce their own Mandrake™ in the herbology classroom and even visit a replica of Hagrid´s Hut and sit in his gigantic armchair. The Harry Potter temporary exhibition offers a unique look behind the scenes of the successful Harry Potter films. After four years away, the Harry Potter exhibition is returning to Germany – it was held in Cologne in 2014. Further information on the Harry Potter Exhibition 2018 in Babelsberg can be found on www.harrypotterexhibition.de/ and https://www.ticketmaster.de/artist/harry-potter-the-exhibition-tickets/1000267

Whisky and Wine from Brandenburg

Brandenburg is a young wine growing region. Nevertheless, the region can look back to some extent on a long tradition of wine growing. Wine growing has become more and more popular during the past few years. Various small wine-growing areas are drawing on traditions believed to have been forgotten, in particular Weinbau Lindicke in Werder, Weingut Klosterhof in Phöben, Weinbau Wolkenberg and Weinbau Guben. They (and many others) plant and nurture the vines then harvest the grapes and send them to Saxony Anhalt or Saxony to be pressed, or – less often – press them themselves. Every year the winegrowers come together to offer new wine tastings. Next year, this will take place in May in Cottbus (date to be advised), when more than 60 new wines from various vineyards can be sampled. Of course Brandenburg´s wines will also be available in the local wine taverns (where the wines are sold that grow in the surrounding vineyards). Cheers!

EN https://mlul.brandenburg.de/cms/media.php/lbm1.a.3310.de/Weinland-Brandenburg-en.pdf and PL https://mlul.brandenburg.de/cms/media.php/lbm1.a.3310.de/Weinland-Brandenburg-pl.pdf

Whisky Tasting Evenings in Brandenburg

Since the end of September, Glina whisky tasting evenings will be held at Schultzens Siedlerhof in Werder. Tickets cost 89 euros and include a 4-course meal from the restaurant, which uses homegrown and regional produce, four whisky tastings including an exclusive barrel whisky, as well as a guided tour of the distillery and an introduction to whisky distilling by Master Distiller Michael Schultz. An Irish folk band playing live music will provide entertainment. Tickets must be bought in advance: www.bauerschultz.de/ Dates: 3.11./10.11./ 17.11./ 24.11./15.12.2018 und 12.1.2019 from 7 p.m. to midnight. Email: info@glina-whisky.de

English Cycling Map

A new cycling map for Brandenburg: Next year will see the 30^th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Why not mark the occasion by cycling along the route where the wall once stood? The Berlin Wall Trail is very popular and even local residents are sometimes surprised to discover where the wall stood. A new English cycling map gives an overview of the many cycling routes through Brandenburg, for example, the Berlin-Copenhagen Cycle Route, the Oder-Neisse Cycling Route, the Berlin-Usedom Route or the Tour Brandenburg, as well as several shorter regional routes. The Havel and the Havelland cycle routes (Fontane, Ribbeck) are also included. The map is available for download here. Order your map, visit us in Brandenburg and start pedalling! EN: www.brandenburg-tourism.com/fileadmin/Mediendatenbank/Endkunden/PDFs/netzwerk_radkarteBB-engl_2018.pdf

Christmas Markets and WBB

In Potsdam alone, there are several Christmas markets: the Bohemian market in the Nowawes Quarter, the romantic Christmas Village on the Bornstedt Royal Estate, the Polish “Sternenmarkt” in the courtyard of the Kutschstall on the New Market Square, the “Sinterklaasfest” and the Advent Garden in the Russian Alexandrowka Colony. There are also attractive markets in Brandenburg State. The Liebenberg Palace and Estate Christmas market, about an hour to the north of Berlin, is very popular. By contrast, the Christmas market in the Spree Forest village of Lehde is small and intimate. Punting boats from the large Spree Forest harbour in Lübbenau take visitors there. Other locations to visit at Christmastime are the City of Brandenburg from the end of November and Cottbus from the end of November to the end of December. If you are planning to visit the Christmas markets in Potsdam and Brandenburg, we recommend our “Wintertime in Brandenburg” special offers. In each of the participating hotels, accommodation in a double room with breakfast costs only 79 euros per night. It is also possible to book low-cost packages. Brandenburg in Winter https://www.brandenburg-tourism.com/discover-brandenburg/wintertime.html Christmas Markets in Brandenburg ENhttps://www.brandenburg-tourism.com/discover-brandenburg/wintertime/christmas-markets.html