Wiesenau: History and Places of Remembrance

Wiesenau is shaped by the history of its main village, the Protestant church in the center, and several places of remembrance. Kunitz-Loose also has a historical connection to another village; in Kunitzer Loose, small herbal workshops are offered by appointment only. If you are planning a stay, you can distinguish between local history, memorial sites, and a specific activity.

Local History in Names

Wiesenau’s main village is a circular village. It was first mentioned as Krebisguche in 1368 and was later called Krebsjauche until 1919. Two dates are important for placing its history in context: 1368 marks its first mention, and 1919 the end of its later name. The circular village layout and historical names each offer different clues to the village’s history.

Kunitz-Loose is a district of Wiesenau. Until 1945, the district belonged to the village of Kunitz, now Kunice in Poland. The names therefore refer to different historical and geographical contexts: Kunitz-Loose is the district in Wiesenau, while Kunitz describes its former affiliation. This distinction helps you consider the district’s history separately from that of the main village.

Church and Remembrance

The Protestant church in the center of Wiesenau is part of the Brieskow-Finkenheerd–Ziltendorf parish district. A memorial stone in its churchyard commemorates the 1997 Oder flood. A memorial on the same churchyard is dedicated to the victims of the two world wars, as well as victims of the consequences of war, arbitrary rule, and violence. The two forms of remembrance therefore concern different subjects: a specific flood event, and victims of war and violence.

Two Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) were laid in Wiesenau on August 31, 2018. They commemorate victims of the persecution of Jews under Nazi rule in Germany from 1933 to 1945. This remembrance adds a distinct historical focus alongside the memorial sites in the churchyard: the Stolpersteine concern persecution during the Nazi era, while the churchyard memorial commemorates victims of the wars and their consequences, as well as victims of arbitrary rule and violence.

Since the new church was built, a village church day has been held in Wiesenau every year. If you would like to include it in your travel plans, check the event dates in advance. That way, you can plan around the specific event date rather than relying solely on its annual recurrence.

Herbal Workshops by Appointment

Honigstube Silke Linder in Kunitzer Loose offers small herbal workshops by appointment; there are no regular opening hours. Planning ahead is therefore essential: agree on a date and check availability directly with the operator if you would like to include a workshop. This is a separate, appointment-dependent activity alongside Wiesenau’s historical themes.

Wiesenau in the Wider Oder-Spree Destination

The wider Oder-Spree destination features other distinct local profiles. In Bad Saarow, the Lesser Promenade runs along the lakeshore for about 1.5 kilometers, from Kurpark to Fontanepark. In Neuzelle, the five-hectare Baroque garden was restored according to original plans from the 1758 abbey atlas; its features include Baroque paths, water features, and a terrace complex.

Beeskow Castle offers a different historical focus: the listed ensemble brings together buildings dating from 1250 to 1550 and has a 30-meter-high keep with an observation platform. In contrast, Wiesenau’s attractions center on the history of its circular village, church-related places of remembrance, and workshops that require an appointment. The examples from Bad Saarow, Neuzelle, and Beeskow represent other themes within the Oder-Spree destination.

Discover more destinations: Beeskow, Vogelsang, Eisenhüttenstadt, Neuzelle, Steinhöfel, Jacobsdorf, Grunow, Berkenbrück

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Oder-Spree.