The Bille - Hamburg's unknown beauty

As early as the 17th century, wealthy Hamburg residents were drawn from the oppressive confines of the city to the expanse of the marshlands. Stately country houses were built on the banks of the Bille River where they spent their summer holidays.

The famous Albert Ballin, who transformed Hapag into the world's largest shipping company, built his summer residence on the upper reaches of the Bille River in Hamfelde, where he generously hosted his international friends. Otto von Bismarck and his family turned the Sachsenwald Forest into a tourist destination, and artists hosted stately villas. The nobility built castles and palaces along the Bille River, the most beautiful of which was in Reinbek.

For centuries, farmers and gardeners from the Vierlanden and Marschlanden regions have fed the people of Hamburg. They brought fruit, vegetables, meat, and even flowers to the Hanseatic city's markets on barges along the Bille and Dove-Elbe rivers.

On the lower reaches of the Bille River, in Billbrook and Rothenburgsort, the first factories and power plants were built, providing the electricity needed for Hamburg's rise to metropolis. Today, the area is embarking on new horizons. And in Bergedorf, scientists are researching new, environmentally friendly energy sources.

For nature lovers, the Bille River, with its abundance of fish and birdlife, offers delightful hikes. Sachsenwald, Hahnheide, and the Boberger Dunes offer a thrilling experience of pure nature.

Author & Photographer

Michael Seufert

He began his journalistic career at the "Bremer Nachrichten" and was an editor at "Stern" from 1970 to 1997, serving as editor-in-chief for the last few years. Today, he lives in Hamburg as a writer. He has published several novels and nonfiction books, including "The Scandal of the Hitler Diaries."

Michael Zapf

He has been photographing his hometown of Hamburg for almost 40 years. Since then, he has worked as a freelance photojournalist for publishers, agencies, and press offices of Hamburg companies and institutions. He has published numerous books since 1993. His books with Ellert & Richter include Das Hamburger Rathaus (2012), Die Bille. Was sonst (2021), and Hamburg Fließen... Alle Flussen, Quellen und fröhlichen Bäche (2022).