A river, ten countries. Mostly regulated, with small parts still wild and untouched by nature. 2,845 kilometers between the Black Forest and the Black Sea. In some sections wide and flowing quickly, in others tranquil and narrow. Much sung about, much described. The Danube is more than just a river: it has been and continues to be a social, cultural, and economic transport route, a bearer of good goods, bad news, and vice versa. It has been the scene of many wars and arduous attempts at peace. Nevertheless, the Danube is a place of longing. Authors Duygu Özkan and Jutta Sommerbauer traveled through the ten Danube countries by ship, bus, train, plane, and horse-drawn carriage to gather stories directly from the riverbank. There, they met captains, fishermen, farmers, writers, and environmentalists, and no matter how different their lives by the water may be, they are all part of the story.