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The Rhine River — Raging with History

Maybe I’ll spend my old age just gazing out windows from evocative perches in my favorite European villages. While researching the Rhine River Valley recently for the new edition of our Germany guidebook, I enjoyed a corner room with a mesmerizing Rhine view. I’d wake up and find myself captivated by the river scene — and then realize I was less dressed than was appropriate for that conservative little burg.

Putting on a shirt and continuing to enjoy the scene, it occurred to me that I was enthralled by more than the pretty view. It was the rhythm of the mighty Rhine — so bustling with shipping and history — combined with the environment: black slate cut from plains above; terraced vineyards zigzagging up hills — forlorn in the modern economy but still absorbing sun and stocking grapes with sugar; husks of ruined castles, standing as monuments to class warfare, greed, and war; and stoic spires of stone churches slicing vertically through townscapes. The quiet, deep-grey power of the river flows as steadily as time itself, a dance floor where ferries, barges, and sightseeing boats do their lumbering do-si-do past fabled and treacherous rocks.

It was here that the ancient Romans decided to call it an empire and draw the line that defined their vast holdings — a line that separated barbarians from the civilized world, just as it separates Protestants and Catholics today. It was here, on New Year’s Eve in 1813, that Prussian General Field Marshall Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, a local hero, used an innovative pontoon bridge to cross the Rhine and flank Napoleon’s forces (on their way back from a disastrous Russian campaign). And it was also along this stretch of river that US General Omar Bradley’s troops found a bridge still standing (at Remagen) to push past the natural barrier the Rhine has always provided Germany against invaders, and ultimately take the war into Hitler’s heartland.

A monument below my hotel window remembering Germany’s dead from various wars still has an unused panel. My hunch is that it’ll never be used. Germany, mighty today without the help of its military, has a profound distaste for wars. Like so many nations, it rose by the sword…and then fell.

Pondering sweeping armies and the rise and fall of great powers (along with my own country’s place in the march of history), I think of all the nations in Western Civilization that at one time rose to be dominant powers, then settled back down — either because of military defeat, economic malaise, or both — and realize life goes on just fine without all that responsibility. Think about it: Rome, Spain (under Charles V), Austria (under the Habsburgs), France (under Napoleon), Germany (under Hitler), Victorian Britain (upon which “the sun never set”), as well as Portugal, Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands, and, I’m sure, many others.

Then, with the political and economic frustration at a rolling boil back home in the USA — which just a decade or so ago was celebrating its status as “the world’s only superpower” — an interesting thought hit me. Had we known that “the Arab Spring” was just around the corner and managed to be patient (as we were to let the USSR rise and fall without a hot war), Saddam Hussein would have been swept away by his own people. The Iraqis surely would have done to their dictator what the Egyptians did to Mubarak and the Libyans did to Gaddafi. The USA would be a couple trillion dollars better off, and Iraq — rather than becoming a client state of the United States — may have created a homegrown democracy on its own terms.

24 Replies to “The Rhine River — Raging with History”

It’s possible. But even if it didn’t happen that way (an overthrown regime), Hussein could have been a buffer against Iran. Pride and hegemony have always been a hallmark of US policy and it has not always turned out well. But it did in Bosnia so we can’t set and hold to rigid policies. Of course if we see our biggest asset as our military, we will see every problem as solvable by a war.

The Rhine was really one of the most beautiful parts of our trip to Germany. We stayed in St Gore and took the river trip. I know a lot of people think that is cheesy but we loved it and all the little towns along the way!

Rick history is not linear. I have no doubt like Egypt, Greece, Rome and Venice someday future travellers will come to the once mighty United States and tour our government seats the way we tour the Doge’s Palace. Obviously history will have many twists and turns and noone knows how long that will take. The same could be said for Saddam Hussein. Who knows what turns history may have taken had he remained in power as Iran flirted with nuclear weapons? Who knows what the Arab Spring would look like if he were in power? It’s interesting that you posit that the only Middle East dictator who used chemical weapons on his own people would be unseated unseated by them. Also while we waited for that to occur we would have spent billions continuing to contain him with the NORTHERN and SOUTHERN WATCH air campaigns. My last point is it did cost us several trillion dollars to win that Cold War.

The bridge at Remagen was not seized by Patton’s Third Army, which was farther south, and crossed the Rhine on it’s own. The Remagen bridge was taken by the 9th Armored Division, a unit of First Army. It’s a nitpick, but might as well correct the error before it goes into a guidebook.

That’s not nitpicking, just correcting a mistake, because they DO happen, regardless of what some people like to think! Appreciate the clarification.

Yeah…who needs the responsibility for justice and calling genocidal dictators and worldwide terror organizations to account when we could save a few trillion dollars?

“Consequences schmonsequences…as long as I’m rich” Daffy Duck

Rick, There is also the possibility that the Arab Spring happened because of the USA foray into Afghanistan and Iraq.

I think RS, as moderator, is going to have to moderate his guidelines. My personal experience is that once you begin to squelch debate, you deter people from participating openly and with passion. Steves cannot and should not post provocative political opinions and then entreat his fans to contain themselves in their responses and counter-responses. Throw it out there, Rick, but then get out of the way.

well said thoughts, rick. too often our meddling results in “blowback” of unintended consequences.

I’ve been contemplating a theory about Germany since my world history class a couple years ago. Mr. Steves says, “Like so many nations, it rose by the sword…and then fell.” I think there could be a different approach. Before Germany was united she was the lands of the Holy Roman Empire. And through the Thirty Years War it’s lands were divided between France, Sweden, Prussia, and the Habsburg’s as spoils of war. What’s always bothered me is that the powerful nations of Europe, at that time, exchanged land without any care or consideration of those that inhabited those regions. They were a faceless nation to be squabbled over. Only until 1815 with the German Confederation did things change. It wasn’t long before the start of WWI and WWII. I think one could build the case that after years of being taken advantage of the German people took a stand, we have a voice and rights. Maybe Hitler wasn’t just a good speaker as much as he had great timing. Addressing a nation of tired people looking for a charismatic leader to help them define their future. I’m sure there are holes in it. But something I’ve always wondered about. P.S. I am NOT defending Hitler. Just to clarify.

As my German colleagues (children of Wermacht men) explained many years ago, Hitler was a result of the punishing treaty forced upon it after losing WW One (Versailles). He was, indeed, all about good timing and also benefited from an aging, weak leader plus a depressed population anxious to be proud again. Many down-trodden people buy into charismatic leadership with mixed results. Mandela was a good result. Today, German nationals are still very proud and feel they make the best products in the world. One of their only Achilles Heels is that they are somewhat rigid. That could result in contraction of the EuroZone (deleting countries like Greece, Italy and Spain). Germany is a great country to tour and with which to do business.

Mr. Steves… the Bundewehr is very much involved in wars in Afghanistan and Libya (and were in Kosovo), but they’ve suffered very few casualties. German war monuments usually only list the dead who came from that particular town. You would have to visit one of the few communities to have suffered a loss in the current wars to see names in the “unused panel”. There is a single, lone name under the Afghanistan section on a monument in one of the towns near where I live in Germany.

More political Anti-American blowback from Rick Steves. I guess I should be used to it by now. It’s his site and he can write what he wants. I’ve stopped watching his shows because of the smug way he injects this sort of thing into them.

I don’t see the un-American or smugness in the post. I see personal assumptions or educated guesses as some might say. I think he would like to believe that Saddam would be toppled by his own people and honestly I would also. If you actually desire war then you need to seek some professional help. But I am not so naive to think Saddam was just a run of the mill dictator. I’ve seen the horrifying outcome of a chemical attacks and those willing to use them. No Nukes. Forget that! No chemical weapons! The sole purpose of a chemical weapon is to end life. Spray an ounce of VX on a bunker or aircraft and nothing happens. Spray an ounce of VX in an auditorium and kill 500 people. There is absolutely no reason why ANY nation (including U.S.) should have them. If Saddam was capable of using the Kurdish people as his personal guinea pigs, there is no telling what he would do to his own people.

I think it’s hard to ignore the smugness and anti-Americanism that Rick sometimes displays. Before even reading his blogs I used to watch his shows all the time on PBS, and after a while I noticed when he was in some of the most beautiful Catholic churches in Europe, he would make derogatory comments about Catholicism. He would marvel at the beauty and then in the next breath make a comment about faith by saying “if you believe in THAT”. Since then my curiosity about him lead me to his blogs and he has admitted that he did (and probably still does) have an anti-Catholic bias. The main cricicism I have though is the condescending way he comments. Provoke discussion all you want but there is no need for haughtiness or insulting a vast majority of people who gave you business success.

It is supremely difficult to communicate in writing balance and objectivity without offense. Because the human condition is to be judgmental and to interpret what we read as what we personally have already formed positions about. Nobody knows what Steves’ motivation is for what he writes. It’s possibly a version of: ” I call ’em as I see ’em”. It’s called freedom of speech and it’s part of our Bill of Rights. I had many a German national tell me what he thought of me and the US and pizza. Take it all with a grain of salt. (or half grain to lower your blood pressure).

I think the best of Rick Steves blog entries should be published as a book. Maybe a yearly publication.

Roe is right, but to add one key point, General Courtney Hodges is the man who led the US 1st Army (he was of equal rank reporting to Bradley, same as Patton with the 3rd Army).

It took substantial U.S. and European military involvement to overthrow Gaddafi. Egypt is not a democracy. The military is taking the reins; a mob recently attacked the Israeli embassy. The U.S. pushed the Soviet Union to collapse through various means usually opposed by the left (military build up, strategic defense, economic sanctions, stopping Soviet-sponsored clients in Central America, etc.) Iraq is not a client state; the concern is that they may be too friendly to Iran. Saddam brutally crushed dissent, like the Iranians and Syrians.

Another historical nitpick– the American forces did not really “take the war to Hitler’s capital, Berlin.” The Western Allies were well west of Berlin when the war ended on 7 May 1945. The Soviets had surrounded the city.

Maybe the best blog responses from readers should be compiled and published as highlights on this blog site.

The “Arab” spring has yet to bear its fruit…… Of which we all may regre

Rick…Rick…Rick…just look at the comments on this blog entry. All but one or two of them have ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with travel or people’s experience in the Rhine Valley but are responses to your political statements and observations. This is NOT what I come to your site for… your are ruining a great thing!

Comments are closed.

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Rick Steves: Wine country on the Rhine River

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Until European travel becomes fully open to North Americans, here’s a reminder of the fun that awaits us in Europe.

Cruising down the romantic Rhine River, we dodge the treacherous reefs that spelled disaster for ancient sailors distracted by the fabled Lorelei siren. We dock at the half-timbered town of Bacharach, where I jump out. Bacharach, wearing a castle helmet and a vineyard cape, is a typical Rhine village. It lines the river and fills its tiny tributary valley with a history you can hook arms with in a noisy Weinstube.

“Bacharach” means “altar to Bacchus.” The town and its wine date from Celtic and Roman times. Local vintners brag that the medieval Pope Pius II preferred Bacharach’s wine and had it shipped to Rome by the cartload. Today, tourists drink it on the spot.

For each wine festival, Bacharach installs an honourary party mayor. He’s given the title of Bacchus. The last Bacchus, one of the best wine gods in memory, died a year ago. Posters left up seemingly as a memorial show his pudgy highness riding a keg of Riesling, wearing a tunic, and crowned with grapes as adoring villagers carry him on happy shoulders. Bacharach’s annual wine fest is the first weekend of October, just before the harvest. Its purpose is to empty the barrels and make room for the new wine, a chore locals take seriously.

The festival is months away, but the dank back alleys of Bacharach smell like the morning after. I drop my bag at Hotel Kranenturm and meet my guide. As with every visit to my favourite town on the Rhine, I’ve arranged a private walk through town with Herr Jung, Bacharach’s retired schoolmaster.

Herr Jung and I climb through the vineyards to a bluff overlooking a six-mile stretch of Rhine. “I came here often as a boy to count the ships,” he says. “I once saw 30 in the river in front of Bacharach.”

We look out over the town’s slate rooftops. Picking up a stone, he carves the letters “Rick” into a slate step and tells me, “Now you are here, carved in stone…until the next rain.”

Ever a teacher, he explains, “Slate is very soft. The Rhine River found this and carved out this gorge. Soil made from slate absorbs the heat of the sun. So, our vines stay warm at night. We grow a fine wine here on the Rhine.

“Today the vineyards are going back to the wild. Germans won’t work for the small pay. The Polish come to do the work. During the Solidarity time I housed a guest worker. After 11 weeks in the fields, he drove home in a used Mercedes.”

We pass under the fortified gate and walk back into town, cradled safely in half-timbered cuteness. My teacher can sense what I’m thinking: that Bacharach was never good for much more than inspiring a poem, selling a cuckoo clock, or docking a boat. Stopping at a bench, Herr Jung props his soft leather briefcase on his knee and fingers through a file of visual aids, each carefully hand-coloured and preserved in plastic for rainy walks. He pulls out a sketch of Bacharach with fortifications intact and busy with trade to show how in its heyday, from 1300 to 1600, the town was rich and politically important.

“Medieval Bacharach had 6,000 people. That was big in the 15th century,” he says. “But the plagues, fires, and religious wars of the 17th century ended our powerful days. Bacharach became empty. It was called ‘the cuckoo town.’ Other people moved in the way a cuckoo takes over an empty nest. For 200 years now, our town has been only a village of a thousand.”

In the mid-19th century, painters and poets like Victor Hugo were charmed by the Rhineland’s romantic mix of past glory, present poverty, and rich legend. They put this part of the Rhine on the Grand Tour map. And the “Romantic Rhine” was born.

A ruined 15th-century chapel hangs like a locket under the castle and over the town. In 1842, Victor Hugo stood where Herr Jung and I now stand. Looking at the chapel, he wrote, “No doors, no roof or windows, a magnificent skeleton puts its silhouette against the sky. Above it, the ivy-covered castle ruins provide a fitting crown. This is Bacharach, land of fairy tales, covered with legends and sagas.” And, I think to myself, travellers happy to have stopped in.

This article was adapted from Rick’s new book, For the Love of Europe.

Rick Steves ( ricksteves.com ) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. You can email Rick at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.

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Rick Steves' Favorite Statue In All Of Europe Is This Iconic Piece Found In Rome

R ick Steves has made a career out of promoting the excitement of traveling and leaves no stone unturned. He has obviously seen his fair share of incredible bucket list art around Europe at galleries large and small. Despite this, he still manages to select favored pieces in all mediums of art. Some of his favorite artworks to see in Europe are in Italy, as is his most-adored statue.

To find Steves' favorite statue, head to Rome, Italy's capital and largest city. North of some of the Eternal City's hot spots, such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum (Foro Romano), is the Borghese Gallery (Galleria Borghese). "The Borghese also holds my favorite statue in all of Europe, Apollo and Daphne," Steves explains on his website . What Steves likes most about this statue is how it captures a key moment in the mythological story of Apollo and Daphne. Apollo finally reaches her, but he is too late, and she is sprouting tree branches from her feet and leaves from her hands. The statue is also in impeccable condition following a lengthy restoration project.

Read more: 30 Weird Museums Around The World

Apollo And Daphne Were Ancient Mythological Figures

According to mythology, Apollo fell in love with Daphne after Cupid hit him with an arrow. However, his affections were unrequited. Daphne was a nymph (nature spirit), and when Apollo did not let up in his pursuits, she prayed to her father, Peneus, the river god, saying, "Destroy the beauty that has injured me, or change the body that destroys my life," (via Borghese Gallery). Peneus answered her prayers, transforming her into a tree. Though alive and still human, Daphne's hair, hands, and feet bore attributes of a tree. Even still, Apollo loved her. The poet Ovid told this story in "The Metamorphoses," a collection of works centered around ancient life.

Sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini (and his protégé Giuliano Finelli) created his masterful depiction of Apollo and Daphne in the 1620s. Steves prompts visitors to pay attention to the details of the artwork, particularly Daphne's hands, where tree branches illuminate Bernini's brilliance at molding stone. Bernini's work is found all over Rome. He designed and sculpted the Fountain of the Four Rivers (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi), a centerpiece in Piazza Navona. The Triton Fountain (Fontana del Tritone), located at  Piazza Barberini,  is another of his works.

The Borghese Gallery Is Located In The Lush Villa Borghese

The Borghese Gallery is named after Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who was passionate about the arts and began a vast collection in the early 1600s. He also commissioned art from various artists, making the cardinal influential in works of the Baroque era. Among the other important pieces at the Borghese Gallery are two busts of the cardinal, both by Bernini. Aside from his works, the Borghese Gallery also features pieces by Italian painters Caravaggio and Raphael, to name a few.

What makes a visit to the Borghese Gallery extra special is that it is located within the Villa Borghese. Borghese commissioned this park area as well, and it is still one of the largest  green destinations in Rome , making it the perfect place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Italy's busiest city. Pieces from the cardinal's art collection decorated Villa Borghese and were studied by Bernini. The statue of Apollo and Daphne, in particular, has been located either at the villa or in the gallery since 1625.

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