Baedeker

Did you know that the travel guides on your bookshelf are inspired by a late 19th-century classic that set the standard for everything that came after? The Baedeker. Karl Baedeker launched his travel guides at a time when tourism was just beginning to boom: initially, travel was primarily the preserve of the wealthy, businesspeople, and government officials, but with rising prosperity, that popularity increased. This Baedeker publication was such a resounding success that the brand name became synonymous with a thorough and well-documented travel reference work. The General Dutch Association of Tourist Information Offices (AVVs) even used Baedeker's success to promote its own activities with a series entitled Wat niet in Baedeker staat (What's not in Baedeker).

Blockbuster

Why was the Baedeker such a great success? A great deal of time and effort was invested in the reliability and timeliness of the information: Baedeker traveled extensively to verify all the data. German thoroughness at its finest. On his travels through Europe, he did not miss the Netherlands: series of German and French editions were published covering what is now the Netherlands. The National Library of the Netherlands has several editions in its collection, such as a French-language Baedeker on Belgium and Holland and the German-language Belgien und Holland nebst den wichtigsten Routen durch Luxembourg: Handbuch für Reisende. According to tradition, however, Baedeker worked so hard on the travel guides that his premature death at the age of 57 was said to have been a result.

Features

The Baedeker set the standard for what we now expect from a travel guide: recognizability and a handy format, making it easy to carry. Its unusual format made the Baedeker easy to carry in a jacket pocket, and the cover was durable. From the 1850s onward, the guide featured a red dust jacket with characteristic gold lettering and marbled edges. Silk ribbons made it easy to return to your previous location. The small, robust book was packed with useful advice that we've come to expect, such as detailed and accurate maps, street plans, glossaries, street directories, lists of suitable hotels, and advice on dealing with cultural customs, such as tipping. Browsing through a Baedeker is like traveling to other places in other times.