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Books that present a cross-border region in a well-founded and understandable way and also have the character of a standard work that is valid for many years are rare. A successful example would be the book “Alpenflora” (Pustet), published in 2024. Another one, concerning the rivers of the Alps, from Haupt-Verlag (2019) is now presented here. If the Alpine flora comes from a single author, the four editors of the "River of the Alps" have brought together no fewer than 142 (!) authors, most of whom come from the Alpine countries, in order to do justice to the wide range of topics covered in the 512-page publication.
The intention, the editors said in the introduction, was that the book “is not only suitable as a reference work for experts, but is also of interest to a broader public.” (Foreword).
"There are therefore different approaches to defining the term 'Alpine river', either as a river that flows in the Alps or as a river that comes from the Alps." (page 12). When delimiting the Alps, which extend in an arc from Monaco through France, Italy and Switzerland to Austria and Vienna, the book follows the area of the Alpine Convention, which was launched in 1995 and to which eight countries are members.
The well-illustrated and abundantly illustrated work is divided into two parts, a thematic block consisting of six large chapters with 34 specialist chapters and a part that, starting on page 346, is dedicated to individual Alpine rivers. After the introduction, where terms are defined and river names are examined linguistically, natural spatial basics follow from page 46. Aspects of hydrology, the shape of the Alpine rivers and their solids balance are described here. Chapter 3, "Alpine river landscapes as habitats", is dedicated to all living things in ten subchapters on almost 100 pages, from fish to birds to invasive species. As for the latter, rivers have a particular importance because they represent linear axes of connection (page 202) that favor their spread. "In the Alps, with around 500 alien vascular plant species, around 10% of the entire Alpine flora can be considered neophytes." (page 203). Chapter 4, "Settlement and Economy", deals with traffic use, land use, floods and "hydropower through the ages". "Man and Nature" (Chapter 5) combines not only tourism aspects, but also "rivers in mythology", which once again shows the thematic breadth that goes beyond the natural sciences. Finally (Chapter 6) there are two specialist chapters on the protection and revitalization of rivers.
The Alpine rivers, listed alphabetically, begin with the Aare (page 350) and end with the Ybbs (page 496). The rivers described on two to a maximum of four pages each (Rhone) represent a selection that are representative of the entire Alpine region, describe different types and also document the diversity of the Alpine rivers (page 346). The tabular river portrait with topographical and hydrological key figures at the beginning of the river proves to be very helpful. In addition to a general description with pictures, there is a second part "In Focus", in which specifics of the respective river are shown. In the case of the Piave, that would be the Vajont dam disaster, where almost 2,000 people died on October 9, 1963 (page 447). In the Steyr it is the Steyrschlucht (page 479), in the Ybbs the association “Save the Ybbs-Äsche” is introduced (page 497).
With the large number of Danube books with a wide variety of thematic approaches, it is a challenge to find new approaches. "No other European river has etched itself as deeply into Europe's cultural memory as the Danube," writes Anton Holzer on page 6. In his latest book, "Donau so blau", the renowned photo historian has chosen historical postcards, which span from the late 19th century to the 1960s, to depict the river from source to mouth.
In the introductory chapter "Danube so blue" Holzer outlines his intention: "In the dialogue between the often idealizing images of the postcards and the classifying and further texts, a new, multi-faceted image of the great European river emerges." As far as the texts are concerned, it is a well-founded, meticulously researched examination of historical Danube literature, which also includes current developments. The almost entirely colored postcards with Danube motifs of all genres run as a blue thread from page 2 to 189. Current large-format photos were chosen as the intro to the 14 chapters, which represent a refreshing change in the historical picture range.
The illustrated book does not see itself as a travel guide with local tips and selected addresses; rather, it is "an unusual travel companion". The chapters of the book are dedicated to regional sections with respective thematic focuses. Naturally, the question at the beginning is “Where does the river begin?” (page 11ff). When it comes to the origin of the Danube, the author describes the “local political cockfight between Furtwangen and Donaueschingen”. In any case, since 2022 both places have officially held the title of “Danube source city”. The next chapter, “Temple of History – Historical Excursions around Regensburg”, then leads on to “Buildings and Idylls – Famous River Landscapes between Passau and Vienna”. The main focus here is on the Wachau, but the once dangerous Danube vortex between Grein and St. Nikola, which gave the Strudengau its name, is also described.
A centerpiece and also a template for the book title is the section “When the Danube became blue” (page 57ff). The focus here is on the waltz city of Vienna, where Johann Strauss's Danube Waltz was premiered in 1867. The Danube cruise leads via Bratislava (“Borders and Crossings”) to Budapest (“Castles and Bridges”). The chapter "The White City" (from page 119) is dedicated to the route from Vukovar via Novi Sad to Belgrade. The famous Iron Gate, feared for centuries, can be found under the title “Excavators and Folklore”. Further focal points are the Bulgarian town of Ruse, as well as "discoveries between Cernavodă, Brăila and Galați", which ultimately lead to the Danube Delta ("zero point and labyrinth") (page 175ff).
The last chapter, "The River in Pictures", with the telling subtitle, "Postcards tell a story" contains interesting and little-known facts about postcards. Holzer expertly and comprehensively illuminates the world and the mass phenomenon of postcards, which over 100 years ago had a meaning comparable to today's social media. "In the German Empire alone, which was the leader in international postcard production at the time [turn of the 19th and 20th centuries], the number of postcards sold rose from 400 million in 1900 to 1.6 billion in 1910, with annual increases of over 100 million." (page 186).
The postcards, which are mostly photographs, occasionally also show embellished, i.e. edited, representations or photomontages. Holzer repeatedly quotes passages from postcard greetings, which open up a further, very personal level. The following sentence can be found on the back of a postcard from the early 1960s with the Jochenstein power plant on the German-Austrian border: "Lots of forest and also water. Yesterday we were in Passau and looked at the cathedral and also the power plant."
Early postcards often had space on the front for greetings. A map on page 42 should be mentioned, titled "Brücke and Urfahr; Linz". The caption: "Dear uncle, dear Ottilie" helps as an introduction to the difficult-to-read handwriting from September 1, 1899.
Conclusion: Since 2019, “Rivers of the Alps – Diversity in Nature and Culture” has met all the criteria of an international standard work at a high level that appeals to a broad readership. "Danube so blue - A picture journey from the Black Forest to the Black Sea" is a successful illustrated book that relies on the visual message of historical postcards, and thus represents an enrichment in the series of Danube publications. (Thomas Hofmann, October 3, 2025)