Discover Germany
August 22, 2011
Sandy beaches stretch some 40 kilometers along the coast in northernmost Germany. The island of Usedom is easily reachable and just three hours by car from Berlin.
The historic Ahlbeck pier features a beautiful clock in art nouveau style. The pier itself was completed in 1899 and is the only one along the entire Baltic Sea coast whose original structure has been preserved. The Ahlbeck Hof, built in 1890, is a five-star hotel that has hosted emperors, politicians and actors on their seaside holidays.
Usedom is also a big draw for artists. The painter Otto Niemeyer-Holstein lived and worked on the island for more than 50 years. His combination home and studio set on the narrowest part of the island is now a memorial site. Perhaps Usedom's most famous artist was the German-American painter and caricaturist Lyonel Feininger. Since 2009 the ''Feininger Bicycle Tour'' has been taking riders on a journey to 40 different motifs that appear in some of the artist's works.
In the video on-demand, Island historian Fritz Spalink shares his personal recommendations for a visit to Usedom, as well as some interesting anecdotes as well.
Text: DW-TV
Editor: Kate Bowen