Wiesenau: Village History and Places of Remembrance

Wiesenau combines the history of a circular village with distinctive local connections, places of religious remembrance and herb workshops by appointment. This gives you several specific points of interest to help plan your trip, from the village’s development to its present-day culture of remembrance.

Circular Village and Historical Connections

The main village of Wiesenau is a circular village. It was first mentioned in 1368 as Krebisguche and was later called Krebsjauche until 1919. The two names mark a long local history, already evident in the names passed down through the years. Another historical connection leads to Kunitz-Loose: until 1945, this district of Wiesenau belonged to the village of Kunitz, now Kunice in Poland. Wiesenau’s history thus brings together a variety of local connections.

Church, Village Traditions and Places of Remembrance

The Protestant church is in the centre of Wiesenau and belongs to the Brieskow-Finkenheerd–Ziltendorf parish district. A memorial stone in its churchyard commemorates the 1997 Oder flood. A memorial site in the churchyard is dedicated to the victims of the two world wars, as well as to victims of the consequences of war, arbitrary rule and violence.

The church is also associated with an annual event: since the new church was built, Wiesenau has held a village church day every year. On 31 August 2018, two Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) were laid in Wiesenau in memory of victims of the persecution of Jewish people under Nazi rule in Germany from 1933 to 1945. The places of remembrance and village tradition offer different perspectives on the history of the town.

Herb Workshops by Appointment

In Kunitzer Loose, Honigstube Silke Linder offers small herb workshops by appointment; there are no regular opening hours. If you would like to include this activity in your plans, check current dates and availability directly with the provider. The need to arrange an appointment is the key practical difference from visiting somewhere with regular opening hours.

More to Explore in the Wider Oder-Spree Destination

The wider Oder-Spree destination also offers waterside routes and landscapes to suit a range of interests. In Bad Saarow, the Lesser Promenade runs for around 1.5 kilometres along the lakeshore, from Kurpark to Fontanepark. Scharmützelsee covers around 1,200 hectares and is about 30 metres deep. Visibility underwater extends to four metres; the clear water draws anglers, divers, sailors and swimmers to the region. This lakeside route can be considered alongside a wider range of water-based activities.

The region’s architecture offers its own highlights: the five-hectare Neuzelle Baroque Garden was restored according to original plans from the 1758 abbey atlas. Baroque avenues, water features and a terraced layout shape its design. The listed ensemble of Beeskow Castle brings together buildings dating from 1250 to 1550 and features a 30-metre-high keep with a viewing platform. Since the 1990s, the castle has also hosted theatre performances, concerts and festivals.

When looking for a holiday apartment, first consider whether Wiesenau’s local history, places of remembrance and appointment-based workshops should shape your stay, or whether Oder-Spree’s wider cultural and landscape highlights are also important to your travel plans. Then choose your location based on the places you actually want to visit.

Discover more destinations: Wulkow, Mixdorf, Briesen, Fürstenwalde/Spree, Eisenhüttenstadt, Diensdorf-Radlow, Herzberg, Jacobsdorf.

Back to the destination overview: Oder-Spree.