The birth of the Spreewald

The origin cause of the birth of the spreewald in the ice age. Rock deposits in the form of ground moraines (under the ice) and terminal moraines (on the ice margin) formed the landscape.

Between this the snow waters of the ice age glaciers streamed through for at least one thousand years. In the Baruther glacial valley filled with alluvial sand they branched in a Delta and formed the basis for the Oberspreewald. On the boarder of those alluvial sand areas many small increases are built.

On these scattered sand islands scattered settlements arose in the 17th century, the best known one is Burg Kauper. The Oberspreewald extends between the places Lübben, Straupitz and Vetschau in the south today.

The boarder to the Unterspreewald forms the valley narrowing at Lübben. It already lies in the return pipe of the Baruth glacial valley. The Spree is also networked here. The Unterspreewald extends between the places Schlepzig, Krausnick, alt Schadow and Groß Leuthen.

The main source of the Spree lies in Neugersdorf, a small town in the Lausitzer hilly scenery, near the border to Czechia. It passes through the heath and pond landscape between Bautzen and Spremberg, flows through Cottbus and Lübben and leads on over Beeskow and Fürstenwalde to Berlin.