Der Deutsche in der Landschaft

In a kaleidoscopic manner, the texts in this collection of German travel writings, first published in 1925 by the Bremer Presse, unfold paths, valleys, mountains, and plains from all continents. Lesser-known geographers, naturalists, cultural historians, and poets from two centuries are given a voice within these pages. They all set out to spread the resonant instruction that the editor Rudolf Borchardt attributes to his selection. The German in the landscape is an observer, a wanderer of history, a guest on Earth: "The world enters him as he enters the world." Thus, Borchardt's collection is not only a detailed description of landscapes but also a cultural psychogram, a self-reflection on one's own origins, and an attempt at order and gaining knowledge. Walter Benjamin summarized this fascinating collection as follows: "Like four main views of the Earth's body, which come together in the new.".