Ruppin Switzerland
Ruppin Switzerland (German: Ruppiner Schweiz) is an elongated hilly forest region in the north of Brandenburg. To its west is the Kyritz-Ruppin Heath, to the north the Rheinsberg Lake District and to the east the Schorfheide heathland. Ruppin Switzerland lies in a wide belt of terminal moraine and runs from Neuruppin in the south to the village of Binenwalde in the north, the largest part of it being situated in the borough of Neuruppin. The central part of Ruppin Switzerland is the nature reserve of Ruppiner Seenrinne with its chain of lakes: the Kalksee, Binenbach, Tornowsee, Zermützelsee, Tetzensee, Molchowsee and Rhin. This lake sequence starts with the Kalksee and Tornowsee and runs for over 40 kilometres southwards to the upper part of the Rhinluch.
Ruppin Switzerland is part of the Stechlin-Ruppiner Land Nature Park.
Theodor Fontane, the German novelist and poet, walked through Ruppin Switzerland 130 years ago. He recorded his impressions in his Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg ("Walks through the March of Brandenburg"), The introduction to the relevant chapter closes with this poem:[1]
Und fragst du doch: »Den vollsten Reiz,
Wo birgt ihn die Ruppiner Schweiz?
Ist's norderwärts in Rheinsbergs Näh?
Ist's süderwärts am Molchow-See?
Ist's Rottstiel tief im Grunde kühl?
Ist' Kunsterspring, ist's Boltenmühl?
Ist's Boltenmühl, ist's Kunsterspring?
Birgt Pfefferteich den Zauberring?
Ist's Binenwalde?« – Nein, o nein,
Wohin du kommst, da wird es sein,
An jeder Stelle gleichen Reiz
Erschließt dir die Ruppiner Schweiz.
...which loosely translated means:
Well you may ask, "Where's the loveliest place,
That Ruppin Switzerland hides its face?
Is it north close to Rheinsberg, no?
Is it south by Lake Molchow?
Is it Rottstiel, in land deep and cool?
Is it Kunsterspring or Boltenmühl?
Is it Boltenmühl or Kunsterspring?
Does Pfefferteich hide the magic ring?
Is it Binenwalde?" - No, oh no,
It will be where'ere you go,
The same delight in every place,
Ruppin Switzerland opens to your embrace.
References
- ↑ Citation from Theodor Fontane: Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg (1862–1889)