Since the middle of the 19th century is the Spreewald a popular holiday and destination of the outing. In 1895 Theodor Fontane travelled the Spreewald and the scenic attractions were overwhelming of customs, customs and endeavour of the population living here. He wrote his experiences into the book named " Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg " into enthusiastic lines low within the years 1862 and 1881. He compares for the Spreewald with the magic of Venice. Its influence on the holiday traffic failed to appear, however.
The connection to the railway network played an essential role in the development of the tourism. The railway track Berlin-Cottbus was taken away from 1866 into operation. So the cities of Lübben, Lübbenau and Vetschau got connected.
The Lübbenauer teacher and cronicler Paul Fahlisch is regarded as a real founder of the Spreewald tourism. He reorganized study visits at 1880 to the area around Lübbenau. With the financial help of the Hotel "Zum braunen Hirsch" (to the brown deer) in Lübbenau he established journeys of Berlin to his native country and this looked after personally.
The artist Professor Woite spent some weeks in the year in the Spreewald since 1882 for around 20 years. He lived in the leather inn "to the happy pike". On recommendation of the painter the restaurant manageress sent leaflets of his own this to German artist organizations with the note since 1889 the Spreewald is a treasure trove for every painter. This advertising arrived and up to the thirties art exhibitions took place in the happy pike.
The first Spreewald organization was founded in August 1886. The tourism organisation was incumbent him. Single local organizations in Lübbenau, Burg, Cottbus and Spremberg, were formed. But the organisation dissolved by invincible disagreements in August 1903.
It was within the years after end of the war (hard after 1945) to get the tourism going again. So the strength transport services and the German German National Railways contributed under others with special transports to get the tourism again in swing at the weekends.
Round about counted 200000 guests at 1935. It was about 500000 in 1960. Millions of tourists were for the first time counted at 1975 about one.
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