m.wittram@tu-bs.de
 The Beach at Binz  Spa Hotel at Binz |
We then start for a walk. We see a pizza restaurant, but we will never
go in because it is always crowded. Then we come to the beach, the
Baltic Sea in deep blue, the water crystal clear. To the right the wood
cliffs of the Granitz, to the left the bow of the Schmale Heide to
Sassnitz and the Stubbenkammer behind. We are enthusiastic. "That's is
as I have imagined" I say and the others nod casually. Along the wite
sand we stalk back to the big spa hotel (Kurhaus). This looks very
elegant but from a nearer sight one can detect this and that
constructional defect. But we know already about the failures of the
past
and what is to be done in the future.
We look for a cafe and enter the Cafe Möwe. At first we must
deposit our wardrobe and pay some coins - but we have none until now so
we get a primary credit. The service is exquisite, we are not used so
much elegance. And we have coffee, cake, ice and tonic for 5 persons
and finally pay less than 10 M. (M= DDR-Mark, change rate 3M=1DM=0.5 EUR nowadays). It is
to be said, that the price level is determined by the buying power of
the DDR citizens. This is not as high as those of the western
countries, so we feel guilty at first. And it is surprising, that not
all tourists from the west pour in to take advantage of this fact. So
we are real early birds and may be proud on it.
We have another walk at the promenade. Some boats lie at the banks like
a picture from a calendar. The houses look distinct, some are renovated
but many need a renewal. At a bigger apartment house there are some
transparents: "When will there be the promised new building?". We
cannot argue about the inner state of this building and do not feel
well to be wealthy tourists. Meanwhile it is time for dinner at the
restaurant Vineta. We choose some meals from a menue card of February.
Thereafter we are tired and return to our "home". Of course it is
somewhat rural, the toilet is across the courtyard. So during the night
you sometimes hear a patter, the flushing and in expectation to return
in the warm beds the clapping of doors. We must work on it.
Another reason for a great rumour may be a spider or a beetle coming
out beneath the carpet or so. Then the boss of the family must come
with a handkerchief to dispatch this creature outside. The other time
we all sleep fine, even our mother at full moon.
Sunday 1.4. Roundtrip Stubbenkammer
and Kap Arkona
We have a wonderful breakfast outside under a blue sky. So we can start
for a tour according to the must-to-be-seen spots of the island which
are known from any tour guide. The most famous will be the chalk cliffs
at Stubnitz. So we ride on the straight ahead road towards Prora where
we came yesterday. We see some Russian camps where they waste landscape
and their time. A rotten truck is like a memorial on this matter. On
the right side of the road there is a big building where the NVA
(National Army of the DDR) families live. They seem to be very busy
with their laundry as you see at the well filled clotheslines.
Later we will learn that this is the
longest building in the world: the coloss of Prora. You may read about
it elsewhere: At four and a half
kilometres, Prora is the longest building in the world, I think. It was
built in the 1930s and intended as a holiday camp for 20,000 aryan
families under the Nazi Strength Through Joy programme. This never
happened because the war broke out during which parts of the building
were bombed. Between 1945 and 1990 the East German army took over the
building and used it as a secret training base
Then we have to stop at
a closed rail-crossing gate. This is usually quite normal but today is
the 1st of April and on this day we use to play games with our fellows.
So the train people do with us as we have to wait about three quarters
of an hour until another train from the opposite direction has passed
and the waggon train in front of us can continue. During this time we
can look for flowers in the wilderness (we are at the Schmale Heide) or
have a chat with a taxi driver, who is very proud of his voluminous
Skoda, built in 1970.
We come to Sassnitz and then ride on a small road to the Stubnitz.
While our two older girls insist to read in their books we admire the
springlike woods with the bright white anemones on the ground like a
carpet. We come to the parking place Herthaburg, the starting point for
a visit of the Königsstuhl - the most famous sightseeing of the
island. Today there are still two busses, but in the future this will
be a very crowded place. Let us enjoy to be the "Early Birds", so we
enter the Königsstuhl for free without any entrance fee as during
the main season. Let us explain the Königsstuhl to the innocent:
this is the highest chalk cliff of the island, more than 100 m high
with a wonderful view to the sea and the beach far below.
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Thereafter we start to a walk down the slope. There are the anemones, cowslips and liverleafs abloom. The last section down to the beach has to be absolved down a ladder. This is too much for giddy wife and two bad tempered girls, so Stefanie and me dare to climb down to the beach with well formed stones. We run some 100 m along the water line. It is this point where you see the Königsstuhl in all its beauty (you see nothing when you stand on the top). Finally we find another ladder and then climb up a steep gorge. This is a nice path for there are scenes remembering on a famous painting of Caspar David Friedrich
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Back on the top we stroll along the cliff and find another famous
viewpoint: the Victoriablick. We think this place is named from the
last German empress Victoria, the spouse of Wilhelm II. May be she had
peered right down to the antlike people like us.
After we have rejoined with the rest of the reading family we stroll
towards the Herthasee. This is a very scenic lake in the wood. There
are some rests of ramparts, relict of the ancient Herthaburg. We
succeed to observe a small water snake which climbs on a trunk to enjoy
the sun.
 Herthasee |
We ride back and see parts of the northwestern island and are back in the early afternoon. The sun is still fine and the other part of the family prefers to go to the beach. But I enter the bike and ride up to the Jagdschloss Granitz (hunting castle). It is a nice climb and I only admire the castle from outside, then descend on the otherside and soon am back at Binz.
 Jagschloß Granitz |
  Die Steinheide  Amphibische Landschaft |
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4 weeks later we see in television as
they remove heaps of a big fish exitus in the Jasmunder Bodden. This
was caused by the unclarified domestic and industrial sewage waters
from the town of Bergen and other villages. Now they can use the
railway to load the waggons with the mass of dead fish.
Blühende Pestwurz
Ernst Moritz Arndt Turm
I run down to Bergen and enter the bank. Once again it is not possible to change money because I forgot to take the passport with me. So I continue my cycle tour and head for tthe town of Putbus. This was the resedence of a certain Fürst Malte and all is built in a classicism fashion. Spectacular is the "Circus", a place like a circle surrounded bs classic buildings. Thereby is a savaged park with exotic trees. But many trees are dead, are broken down or have been chopped. From the southern end of the park we have 2 km to the harbour of Lauterbach, this is a small fisher village at the "Rügenscher Bodden". Nearby is the island Vilm, ther shall reside sea-eagle and other strange birds (some high officials of the DDR have a hideaway there). The reside time of the birds of the second kind is over meanwhile.
 Putbus  |
Aside the road to Vilmnitz there are some nice cottages with thatched roofs. Towards Binz we ride on a nice alley, there are some mounds and those are prehistoric graves. I am back at Binz at 4 pm, somewhat thrilled by the cobblestone-pavements.
 Lauterbach  Hünengrab |
In the evening we share the table with two persons from West Berlin.
They are annoyed that there are so few places to put a sailingboat.
This is not our subject. One of the two has booth around the corner
where he sells expensive western articles. After dinner we enjoy a
walkaround. We meet some people then and they tell us that there is an
initiative to organise private lodgings. Finally as we return we have
some bats around us.
Tuesday, 3.4. The "Rasender Roland"
We still are so stupid to insist to pay the spa-tax. Today we success
and get to know that this year we are the third family which paid the
tax. We then start for a walk to Sellin. There is anice hike path
through the woods of the Granitz. Above the cliffs there are nice views
to the sea. We can study the work of the sea which now and then
swallows land and trees of this part of the coast. After some time the
children ask how long we have to walk yet. I always say "twenty
minutes" and finally this may be true.
At Sellin the weather gets grey and dull. We cannot find any restaurant
for a meal. There is only a fast food boothe where we get a sausage.
There are some construction sites and some bungalows are prepared for
the season. The main street of Sellin ends at the beach, which doesn't
look as nice as that of Binz. Now we had to wait some hours until the
train (let us describe it later) will go back to Binz. At the station a
woman gives the advice to go to Göhren by bus and visit the museum
of local history. In the Cafe Frohsinn we have coffee and cake before.
At göhren it is raining meanwhile and we fly from a vivid group of
youngsters into the nuseum. The cultural things and history of the
Mönchsgut is presented. The mönchsgut is the South-East
headland of Rügen and seperated by a dithch between Sellin and
Baabe: the famous Mönchsgraben. This part of the island is very
remote and therefore the cultural circumstances could survive for a
long time. But meanwhile the tourism is determinant like everywhere.
Behind us two guides are busy to explain the historic backgroud to the
giggling scholl class so we better tiptoe to the outside.
We now fly from the rain into a shop and buy biscuits and pyramid cake
(Baumkuchen). Besides the church seems to be a grave mound but
concerning to the weather we cannot take great care of it. We trot to
the railway station and have to wait another three quarters of an hour.
Finally the "Rasender Roland" comes up wheezing and steaming. Just as
we inspect the ancient locomotive this gives a sharp whistle that we
nearly fall out of our shoes. The fireman and the engine driver laugh
out of their window. In the train we get warm again and 30 minutes
later we are back at Binz.
In the evening we are so lucky to get the last rumpsteaks of the menu
supply.
 Bahnhof Göhren  Der rasende Roland |
Wednesday, 4.4. The Fishermen in
Lauterbach
We still have to clear the official financial situation, so we start by
car towards Bergen, the passport in the pocket. At the bank there is a
special counter for change activities. At first they acquire all
personal dates and type them in their computer model Robotron. It is
not so easy but at last we get our money and the important receipt. We
then continue to Garz. Form Garz to Putbus there shall be one of the
most beautiful alleys. May be this is true, but at this time the trees
didn' got their leaves so the special tunnel impression is not visible.
At Putbus we have another view to the park, the orangerie, a church and
the patio near the pond where once there was the castle. In the center
of Putbus is a square market place surrounded by white classic
buildings. This all will look like a doll's house after the
restauration activities will be finished. We attack a Baker' shop and
then return to the Circus where we have left our car.
We continue to Lauterbach like the days before on my cycle tour. Today
we are lucky to meet the fishermen, who are busy to work up their crop
of fish. There are booths where they disentangle the herrings from the
nets and put them in ice. It looks romantic and I ask for a photo. "We
then will be seen in the Bild-Zeitung?" they ask.
No, not in the newspaper, but in the
internet, which didn't exist at that time.
The people are friendly and tell something about their work. At the way
back we observe this and that flake (Schuppe) under our shoes.
 Fischer in Lauterbach 
|
In the afternoon we are lazy and have a coffee at the Kurhaus. In the
evening we have a lonesome companion at our table and soon have an
interesting discussion. He is a physicist from Berlin and is
participates in any conference. We talk about politcs, the past and the
future. So it is 10 pm at last when we part and go home.
Thursday, 5.4. Stralsund
If the weather is not so fine and this is another advantage: we can go
out
for any venture an have not to sit in the sun all the time. So we go to
the railway station and purchase tickets to the town of Stralsund. It
was told, that the train would not be the fastest. So at Bergen we
stand without any action about 30 minutes. But let us calm down, we
have our holidays. As we pass the Rügendamm a hailstorm comes
down, we have a real April weather. At the railway station of Stralsund
there is an oversized panorama drawing of the island Rügen. With
bright sushine we now walk to the Marienkirche with mighty towers and
naves (Kirchenschiff) all built in brickstone. We jus see as a couple
disappears inside of the cathedral. We run to the gate but this is
closed already. But they hear our knocking and let us in. We shall not
take anything with us, they say for they had to deposit their passport
as a warrant to get the key. So we let the altar, baptistery
(Taufbecken), the glorious organ and the mighty brasses (Grabplatten)
where they belong to. A view up above to the ceiling is impressive, you
nearly need a field glas to observe details. Some frescoes where
detetected recently during restoration works. On the other hand we see
walls with green moss where the waters can come in. Much money and work
will be necessary to bring everything to a proper state.
|
 Johannis Kloster |
We then head for the city, the pedestrian area around the Apollonien-
and Ossenreyer Str. There are lots of people. The main colour is grey
and there are few colours at the walls and shop windows. There is a
restaurant named "Gastmahl des Meeres" and those are famous fish
restaurants. But there is a long queue in front of the inn and so there
is no way to get in. We come to the "Alter Markt" with the town hall,
which is similar to the townhall of Lübeck. We go down to the
Ratskeller. This looks somewhat historic with it's old arches
(Gewölbe). In former times this was a meeting place of the
patricians and upper burgess, today it is a HO restaurant. In the menu
card is to be read, that any worker and employed person is welcome.
About the meals we will not talk so much, may be the quality of the
kitchen will have some profit from the Wende and reunion.
Outside again we have look to the courtyard of the monastery Johannis
Kloster. The church is a ruin and a memorial for the destructions in
1945. Everywhere one can observe the contrasts: there are buildings
with well restorated storefronts and others look dilapidated
(abbruchreif). We now visit the famous Meeresmuseum in the
Katharinenkloster. You must have some time for this, as there are
exhibitions of sea and oceans, fishing, aquariums or corals. So you can
speculate about curious sea monsters as well. But the miracle of Loch
Ness and Nessie is still unsolved. Some illusions must remain.
Thereafter we need a coffee. But in the Frankenstraße we would
not find any cafe. Nearly all buildings are in decay and they have
walled up the doors and windows of the lower storeys. It would be worth
to rebuild the houses and preserve the character of this special
street, but no one can say how much this would cost and who should pay
for it. We come to the Leninplatz with some amusement facilities. There
we find a restaurant in a cellar and this is very nice. We then look
for the amusement park and the rest of my family tries to convince me
to have a try at the shooting gallery. But I can put them down as I
never in my life will take a rifle in my hands. So they buy some lots
(Lose) and win a pair of boxing gloves - determined for a bunch of keys
and as large as a thumbnail.
We go back to the railwaystation and pass the Kütertor,
Küterbastion and Knieperteich (so to be read in the tourist
guide). So we have seen this and that of this town. Now and then we
should remember that one year ago no one would have a dream of those
last political changes that allowed us to be here.
Near the railwaystation there are nice middle-class houses and it is
assured that these housings are better than those boring apartment
buildings in the outskirts, named "Plattenbauten".
We cannot dine tonight because the Kurhausklause has day of rest. We
warm some cans by the boiler or are content with the lappet (Zipfel) of
a sausage.
Friday, 6.4. Schmachter See
Today the weather is fine and we want to walk around the Schmachter
See. Even the locals don't know if this is possible. So this is an
adventurous attempt. At first there is a nice footpath, we see kingcups
resp. marsh marigold (Sumpfdotterblumen), the sea birds on the blue
lake, pretty colours and we feel fine. But as usual for foot paths:
they end somewhere. This time our escape is the rail bed of the
Rasender Roland, and it is fine to walk along there. But as a big bird
flies at the sky we do hard not to stumble: it seems to be a stork.
 Sumpfdotterblumen  Schwarzdorn |
At last the lake ends in a swampland. We should cross a meadow with sheep, but better stay to the rails avoiding to meet a ram (Schafbock). With my camera in the rucksack I hope that the Rasender Roland comes up at any time for a photo with steam in front and pure nature in the background. Finally we hear a whistle and the camera is put into position. We wait some minutes and the whistles come nearer. But then - alas - all we see is a pretty yellow handcar (Draisine). So the camera flies back into the rucksack. Some time later there is a picuresque scene with two thatched houses in the village of Pantow.
 Pantow |
Now it gets uncertain how to continue and we walk along the edge of a
forest to a parking place with one Soviet military tank lorry. A foot
path continues and there are some houses at the lake. Moreover we meet
some people there. We talk to a couple which owns one of these cottages
here. They invite us to have a look inside. The cottage would be large
enough for a greater family. At last we are invited to spend a holiday
here. At last we sit in the sun for a while, still talk and finally
change the addresses. Then we head on for the rest of the trip, three
quarters of an hour through the woods and then are back at Binz.
In the evening we ride to Sassnitz, there is well known fish restaurant
at the harbour. The service and the dishes are excellent. The walk
through the streets is less enjoyable because everything is grey or in
decay. Nearly all buildings have been built before the war.
Saturday, 7.4. Groß Zicker
In the morning we make an outstanding excursion along the beach to the
north. To the left there is the Schmale heide grown by pine trees. Near
Prora there is a prohibited zone and the beach ends at a fence. At the
land side there is "the longest building of the world" and this is the
"Koloss of Prora". This was built during the war for receation purposes
(KdF=Kraft durch Freude). The building is some kilometers long but was
never completed during the war. Today the families of the NVA live
there, the houses are numbered so that the people can find their home.
We are not so enthusiastic and go back.
   Blicke vom Turm |
Because the weather is not so fine we decide to visit the
"advertisement" of the newspaper and this is Mrs. M. at Gro0 Zicker.
Thereafter we want to dine in the Cliff Hotel at Sellin. At first we
absolve the official visit of the Jagdschloss Granitz with a climb of
the tower. Inside of the tower there is a peculiar well decorated
spiral staircase along the outer walls of the tower. The views from the
top are impressive, and just the "Rasender Roland" with the white trail
of steam comes along end rolls into the railway station of Binz. In the
north we see Cap Arkona and to the south we have a nice view to the
island of Vilm and the Mönchsgut.
At Sellin we immediately enter the Cafe Frohsinn, but today it is
crowded caused by the bad weather. We find another nice cafe at the
main street. In spite of the strong wind we walk to the beach. There is
a steep cliff containing of pure sand and is highly exposed to erosion
activities. Today there are many "creeks" of sand pouring downwards.
You can figure out, that the buildings upside of the cliffline will not
exist for ever.
We then ride to the Cliff Hotel. This etablissement was hermetically
locked since some months ago. It was reservered for the members of the
ZK and other privileged persons. Now it is open to the publicity. This
is mainly represented by the noble automobiles of the upper price level
from western regions. We go in and ask somewhere if we could have a
meal in the evening. This is approved so we can continue to explore the
rest of the island. We go south via Baabe and slightly recognize the
rests of the Mönchsgraben. Meanwhile there are a lot of
campgrounds and other touristic arrangements along the street. We
suppose that during summer times there would be some trouble around
here.
At last we come to Gr. Zicker along a small road. It is not so flat
here, there is a ridge without any trees of about 60 m height. The
village is picturesque and clean. The last house is that that we are
looking for. There is a sign: "Biting Dog" so no one is eager to get
out of the car. Finally it is my turn and faintheartedly approach to a
barking Newfoundland dog. But then the dog is very friendly to me And
the Mrs. M. appears. She is not so amused that we have cancelled our
request but now there is a car from Salzgitter on her courtyard. We
cannot change the world within days and we think, that some time later
there will be lots of guests herearound. The landscape at this place is
very nice and totally lonesome - if someone likes those surroundings.
We say farewell and ride via Thiessow to the very south end of the
island at Klein Zicker.
 Am Greifswalder Bodden |
But now let us conquer the Cliff Hotel, we are hungry. But now an
arrogant waiter tells us that they are booked. We shoul have our meal
in the cellar bar. But there we could only have snacks and these are
not sufficient for our appetite. So we only have a water, tonic of
orange and then let the ZK members and other prominent persons behind
and hurry back to Binz. But there is the next problem, the entrance of
the restaurant is locked by a chain. We find a by-pass ba a back
entrance and find a table. The waitress later tells us, that there are
not enough employees so they simly block the door. We are happy to get
something to eat.
Sunday, 8.4., Kap Arkona
Today we will ride to the north via Sassnitz, Schloss Spyker and Glowe.
We then reach the Schaabe, this is a small tongue of land to Witow at
the northern part of Rügen. We stop for a while and walk through
the pine forest to the beach. We then pass some dying alleys and at
Putgarten turn to the right on a side road. This leads to the scenic
fisher village Vitt.
 Schloß Spyker   In Vitt |
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There are small thatched cottages which duck down in a sink among the surrounding hills. You are directly remembered to Asterix's village. At the sea there is a nice view to Kap Arkona. The cliffs are grown by sallow thorn (Sanddorn). Among these busheres there is nice path to the Cape. The air is clear and we can see some Danish islands. In the older lighthouse - this was built by the famous Prussian architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel - the daws (Dohlen) fly in and out.
 Wittower Fähre |
Soon we are back at Binz, then we are lazy and finally visit a new
opened Chinese restaurant. This is already quite more expensive than
the common DDR restaurants.
Monday, 9.4. The last Day
We still must take advantage of the low price level, and so someone
visits the hairdresser for a cheap permanent wave (Dauerwelle). We
others stroll around, take some photos and are astonished about some
glowing and smouldering trash cans. Brown clouds of stinking fume waft
around. This does not end all over the day - apparently nobody feels
responsible for this drawback.
 Zentrum in Binz  Fenstervielfalt |
We once find ourselves at a private lot of land at the Schmachter See.
There is a retired gentleman who clears his sailing vessel. He tells us
that he will sail to Holland this summer, now as the world is wide open!
For supper someone had recommended to visit the restaurant Granitzer
Grund at the village Granitz. But there is a funny busgroup of tourists
from Saxony before us and there is no free place. We shall return one
hour later they say. So we make an additional ride to the the villages
with the funny names Burtevitz,
Dummertevitz and Reddevitz. As we come back to the
restaurant this is full again. So we sit like fowls on a roost in an
edge and peer to the guests and wait that someone pays his bill. In
this situation you are able to hate people who are slow and long
winded. But after some time we get a free table and now are gleeful
(schadenfroh) on other people after us who cannot find a place as well.
At last a family comes in and we shout at them because we know them
from our home town (Braunschweig).
 Eine knorrige Angelegenheit  Abschied vom Schmachter See |
After we have finished our meals we soon say good bye and clear the
table for the other people whith hollow eyes and empty stomach.
The next day we return to our home. All members of the family B.
wave good bye.
The next edition of the German magazine SPIEGEL gives a report about
the conditions on the island Rügen. For this summer they expect an
invasion of tourists and in consequence of the inadequate
infrastructure and logistics there will be chaotic circumstances. So we
are so happy to have been some individual "early birds".