Land and People Tour - in the footsteps of Strittmatter

In his autobiographically-influenced novel trilogy “Der Laden” Erwin Strittmatter regularly has his main character Esau Matt ride a bike. The hero of the novel cycles back and forth between Grodk, the name given to Spremberg in the book, and Bossdom (Bohsdorf). The round trip not only follows this route, but also leads to other places in Strittmatter’s works. With a little imagination they are easy to recognise. Graustein is Grauschteen, Schönheide is Scheenheede, and Bloischdorf is Bleischdorf.Length: 33 kilometresStart/finish: Spremberg railway stationLogo/route sign: not specifiedHow to get there:Train: Take the RE2 regional express train from Berlin central station to Cottbus, then take the OE65 (Zittau) regional train to Spremberg (about 2 hours).Car: Take the A15 motorway and the B97 from Berlin to Spremberg (about 2 hours).Route: Spremberg, Graustein, Reuthen, Felixsee, Bohsdorf, Hornow, Klein Loitz, Bloischdorf, Türkendorf, SprembergPoints of interest/background information:Sights along the routeSpremberg: historical old town, Protestant Kreuzkirche and Kirchplatz, castle with Niederlausitzer HeidemuseumGraustein: old schoolReuthen: estate parkBohsdorf: “The Shop”Hornow: Confiserie Felicitas and churchBloischdorf: Lower Lusatian Sorbian Village MuseumTürkendorf: Dahlia garden of the Gärtnerei KoschkerObservation tower at Lake FelixseePossible combinationsPrince Pueckler Cycle PathLower Lusatian Mining TourSpree Cycle PathTour BrandenburgTrail conditions/surface: not specifiedMaps/Literature:“Bikeline Radkarte Niederlausitz. Burg, Cottbus, Forst, Hoyerswerda, Lausitzer Seenland, Senftenberg, Spremberg, Südspreewald”, 1 : 75 000, Esterbauer Verlag, Auflage: 1. (1. Februar 2012), ISBN-13: 978-3850003087, Euro 6.90“Spremberg und Umgebung: Wander- und Radwanderkarte mit Reitwegen”, 1:50 000, SACHSEN KARTOGRAPHIE, Auflage: 3 (16. August 2007), ISBN-13: 978-3932281426, Euro 4“Radwander- und Wanderkarte Fürst-Pückler-Park, Bad Mukau, Spremberg und Umgebung: Ausflüge rund um den Muskauer Galtenbogen von Neuhausen über Döbern bis Weißwasser”, 1:35000, Verlag Schöne Heimat, Auflage: 2 (1. September 2012), ISBN-13: 978-3895911323, Euro 4.90