Baedeker's Handbook(s) for Travellers : History & Legend

The history of the legendary Baedeker's Handbook for Travellers guide book series is inextricably tied to the history of the Family Baedeker. The story began in the late 17th century with Dietrich Baedeker, who established a printing shop in Bielefeld, Germany. In 1827, 24 year-old Karl Baedeker openned his own publishing house in Koblenz. By 1832, the ambitious Baedeker bought-out the publishing company of Friedrich Roehling, which specialized in tourist guide books, and immediately re-issued their popular handbook, "Rheinreise von Mainz bis Koln", and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, the name Baedeker has become both a synonym for a comprehensive travel guide book and a euphemism for any book that offers a thorough exploration of a subject.

The early Baedeker firm published a wide range of books and periodicals, but the success of their regional travel series, and subsequent translation of "Rheinreise" into French,resulted in the specialization in travel guides. By the early 1850's, Baedeker had launched national guides, with handbooks on Belgium, Holland, Switzerland,Austria and of course Germany. In retrospect, it appears that Baedeker "borrowed" extensively from the structure and content of the contemporary Murray's Handbook for Travellers series for his "country" guide series.
( to be continued )
PS : If you find a copy of Rheinreise von Mainz 1838 it's now worth $3000 !