First Baedeker guidebook published in Koblenz

Background. Karl Baedeker, born in 1801, descended from a long line of printers and publishers. His firm, founded in 1827, acquired the publishing house of Franz Friedrich Röhling in Koblenz in 1832. Röhling had previously published a handbook for travellers in 1828, which became the basis for Baedeker's subsequent publications.

Publication. After the original handbook went out of print, Baedeker decided to publish a new edition. He incorporated material from previous authors but added his own ideas regarding what a travel guide should offer. This process established the format for the guides often referred to as 'Baedekers'.

Context. Koblenz, located on the banks of the Rhine and Moselle, was the site of the publishing house acquisition. The city had a history of military and administrative significance, having been taken by the French Revolutionary army in 1794 and later becoming a capital of a French department.