Travel Guide "Remembrance Connects Region Oder-Warta"

102 103 A me e t i ng and d i scovery space A me e t i ng and d i scovery space On the initiative of Ben Wargin, Gernot Schmidt, Eberhard Grashoff and Martin Stade, the first „Friedenswald“ (peace forest) came to be in 1991 on the Krug- berg Werbig site near Seelow. In addition to the existing memorials and commemorative sites, this forest was meant to commemorate the civilians and soldiers killed in the Second World War and the people driven from their homes at authentic war sites. After the peace forest was initiated in Seelow, other such initiati- ves followed in Górzyca (Poland), Brest (Belarus) and Moscow (Russia). The Gorzyca peace forest was the second in the series after Werbig and was planted in 1992 . It is located on Werbig and Górzyca Peace Forests In the post-reunification period, German and Polish youth and politicians planted trees as a reminder of the Second World War. the site of a former command post of Soviet Marshal Georgi Konstantino- vich Zhukov, which he used until he crossed the Oder River. The Bildungs- und Begegnungszent- rum Schloss Trebnitz (The Trebnitz Castle Education and Meeting Centre) is the curator of the peace forests. In each peace forest, young people, members of the Bundestag and Land- tag (German Federal and Provincial Parliaments), along with representati- ves from local and international poli- tics, plant trees that symbolise a living sign of remembrance and reconcilia- tion. In addition, bridges are built between peoples and new spaces to gather are created for present and future generations. Address: Muzeum Łąki Owczary 17 , 69 - 113 Górzyca, Polen Open: January-December GPS : 52 ° 28 ‘ 41 . 1 “N 14 ° 38 ‘ 44 . 2 “E Werbig and Górzyca Peace Forests i The Naturpark Märkische Schweiz (Märkische Schweiz Nature Park), 60 kilometres east of Berlin, may be one of the smallest in the country, but almost all the different landscapes of Mark Brandenburg are represented here. Besides deep gorges and valleys, there are various routes that lead past lakes, rivers, fields, meadows and hedgerows. Today‘s natural landscape contains traces of history right up to the present day, which can be discovered on the course of a wide variety of hiking and sightseeing routes. One such route runs along Panorama- wegs E 4 (the E 4 Panorama Trail), which runs above Lake Scharmützel. Märkische Schweiz Nature Park The youngest of Poland‘s national parks, this Warthe estuary national park is considered a true Mecca, especially among birdwatchers. It offers multiple views of Buckow and the lake, and former trenches from the final phase of the Second World War also run parallel to it. In addition, the new interactive exhi- bition „Expedition Märkische Schweiz“ in the visitor centre and garden at the Schweizer Haus in Buckow offers a modern approach to the formation of the landscape, habitats and species. Visitors will be able to receive further information on excursion destinations and experiences. The exhibition also aims to promote activities for nature conservation and sustainable living. Address: Visitor centre „Schweizer Haus“ Lindenstraße 33 15377 Buckow (Märkische Schweiz), Deutschland www.maerkische-schweiz-naturpark.de Open: January-December GPS : 52 ° 34 ‘ 28 . 1 “N 14 ° 05 ‘ 06 . 4 “E Märkische Schweiz Nature Park i