- Karl Baedeker
Karl Baedeker (
3 November ,1801 –4 October ,1859 ) was a Germanpublisher whose companyBaedeker set the standard for authoritative guidebooks for tourists.Biography
The son of a book printer, Baedeker was born in
Essen , Prussia, and started his publishing company in 1827 inKoblenz . Baedeker's company in 1832 bought another Koblenz publisher (Friedrich Röhling) which had in 1828 published a handbook for travellers byJ. A. Klein , under the title "Rheinreise von Mainz bis Köln" (travelling theRhine fromMainz toCologne ). This provided the basis for the first of the Baedeker travel guides.The red bindings and gilt lettering soon became the familiar hallmark of Baedeker's guides, and the content became famous for its detail and accuracy. While the travel guide was not a new form, Baedeker's innovation was to include specific details of transportation, accommodations, prices, and so forth. Starting in 1844, he augmented this with star ratings for attractions. Baedeker was famous for his careful work; when visiting
Milan Cathedral in 1847, he was observed to drop a pea at every twenty steps of the staircase to the roof, so as to be able to report the number of steps accurately.His brother
Frederick Baedeker (1823-1906), who joined thePlymouth Brethren movement, was also well travelled. Early in his career he sailed to Australia following professional pursuits and after 1866 in Christian service travelled to Sweden, Russia and Siberia, preaching to prisoners and aristocracy.References
* [http://www.ctrarebooks.com/?page=shop/disp&pid=faq&CLSN_1597=1137731824159715f59f980b1930717e Baedeker's Universe by Edward Mendelson]
* [http://www.germany-info.org/relaunch/info/new/baedecker.html?PHPSESSID=e13d7a47cbba41aa4694540739083fb7 Remembering Founder of Venerable Travel Publishing House]
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