Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-03
GERMAN TOURIST CLUBS.
They Are Carefully Organized and
Have Z, Good Time.

Have u GOOD Time.
When the average British tourist is ar
ranging his plans for a continental holt
day, says the London Telegraph, he is apt
to leave out of the reckoning most Of those
Centers in Germany which lie off the beaten
track of English travel, his impression being
| that, however great their charm, it would
be difficult for him, with his more or less
Inadequate command of the language, to
find his way about in them. The possibility
OF his getting lost in what he regards as the
| trackless eXpanse of a German forest deters
him from fresh enterprises, and he invari-
ably keeps to the recognized routes. in
which alone he thinks there is safety for
him. But, however reasonable his fear may
| have been years ago, the fact should be
| recognized that there now exists throughout
practically the whole of the innumerable
| forest districts and play grounds" OF Ger
| many an almost perfect network OF organi-
cations employed in facilitating the move
ments and increasing the comforts of tour
lists in every possible way, carrying on, in
fact, a work the like of which Is unknown
among ourselves, but one that, for its cease
less activity, it's thorough-going and most
practical plan of operations and Its eX-
tremely beneficial results deserves the most
cordial recognition. 1t is found to be of no
use to rely on local or other authorities for
the real opening up Of the district. The au-
thorities will keep main roads in repair and
put up sign posts thereon, but the route OF
the tourist in search of the picturesque lies
as often as not, in Germany, ava from the
main reads. through more or less dense for
Csts, along unfrequented valleys, or over
r,ountain tops; and If these bypaths are TO
be indicated and kept in order 1t must be
done by private agency. This is where the
work of the Tourist Verein mainly comes
in. and so well, indeed, is the work done
that there is today hardly a forest or noun
tain region in Germany where d tourist can
not find his way about or reach a given
point with an ease entirely lacking in the
ease of a stranger who gets into the inner
recesses of Epping forest, of Wales, of the
New forest, or of almost any other of our
own holiday resorts.
Each yerein, or club, is formed by some
hundreds, or, II may be, some thousands,
Of residents in a particular district, the
funds being provided by means of small
subscriptions ranging from 2 shillings to
. shillings a year. The organization con-
sists, as a rule, of a central body ana a
sufficient number OF sections 10 cover the
whole OF the district, each section taking
charge of its own locality. The practice
varies some what, but a favorite method Is
for the members to join a section and pay
their subscription to that section, part OF
the money being retained for local purposes,
while the remainder goes to the central
body to form a fund for the payment of
general expenses or for the making OF
special grants. Each section has its indie
pendent organization for local purposes, but
Stllus ItpitSt NATIVES 10 lAt Stutldl do-
sembly of the club. A. large number Of the
clubs have also joined themselves into a
federation. which meets year by year in
different parts of Germany.
The objects aimed at are, generally speak
ing. the indication of routes according TO a
Uniform system; the construction of foot
paths and the keeping in order of paths al
ready made; the opening out OF good points
of view, or the facilitating OF access to
them; the provision of seats, shelters, ana
also of prospect towers in the case, say, Of
mountain tops where an elevation above the
height of the trees would give a greatly eN-
tended view: the publication OF guide books
and maps, and so on. The advantage of
each club being split up into sections is that
the members in a particular locality are
naturally better acquainted with II than
those living would be, and take
a more direct personal interest in carrying
out the desired arrangements therein as
thoroughly as they can. Not only this. but
each particular section within the district
becomes. practically, a separate club,
which, besides the actual work done, has
excursions in the summer and periodical
gatherings in the winter for the purposes
either Of social enjoyment or OF hearing
lectures on travels, scientific subjects, or
questions OF the day. In a large number OF
instances the branch club forms in it's
particular Stadtchen, or in its group Of
villages. a center OF social and intellectual
activity which tends largely to promote the
well being OF the community.