COASTERS OF KOMARNO

Mention of the River Danube conjures visions of elegant evenings in Vienna dancing the nights away to the waltzes of Johann Strauss. But the reality is somewhat different, as the river passes through a part of Europe which has witnessed perhaps the most turbulent time in the history of the entire continent. The River has brought both unity and conflict to the countries it passes through and, although it has acted as a barrier to invasion, it has also provided a conduit for invading forces.

The Danube is Europe’s second largest river after the Volga. It either passes through or acts as the border of no fewer than 11 countries. Not surprisingly, bearing in mind the various linguistic vagaries of these countries, it also goes by different names, including Donau, Dunaj, Dunav, Dunarea and, of course, the Anglicised version, Danube.

It is now generally accepted that it originates in or near the town of Donauschingen, where two smaller rivers, the Brigach and Breg, meet. From this point it is 2,778km to the Black Sea at Sulina, in Romania, the point from which