German Mail Carrier Rows Through Forest for 129 Years

Andrea Bunar stood at the back of her yellow postal barge this week, gripping a single long oar as she glided through the narrow waterways of Germany's Spreewald Forest. After months of icy winter roads, the 55-year-old mail carrier was finally back where she belongs.

For 14 years, Bunar has delivered mail to the village of Lehde, located about 60 miles southeast of Berlin. From April to October, she navigates her 29-foot barge through shallow canals, dropping letters and packages into mailboxes that residents have placed right on the riverbanks.

"The start of the season is always special for me," Bunar said as she embarked on her first spring route. "After the long winter break, I enjoy being in the nature and back on the water."

Lehde is the only place in Germany where mail arrives by boat, a tradition that stretches back 129 years. Before boat delivery began, villagers picked up their mail once a week after church services on Sundays.

The Spreewald is a UNESCO-protected biosphere featuring 185 miles of interconnected waterways weaving through lush forests and wetlands. The Spree River, which flows through Berlin, branches into hundreds of small canals here, creating what looks like a Teutonic version of Venice.

Every week, Bunar delivers around 600 letters and 80 packages along her five-mile route, which takes about two hours to complete. She also sells stamps to residents and collects their outgoing mail.

Sunny's Take

The cargo has changed over the years. "I already delivered an e-scooter, a lawnmower and a fridge — sometimes my barge feels like a little container ship," Bunar said with a laugh.

On her first day back this spring, she transported a large saw along with the usual bills and letters. During winter, she switches to her car, but the icy roads make deliveries cumbersome and much slower than her peaceful water route.

"This is and has been my dream job all along," Bunar said. "Being on the water is just so relaxing — it slows down life."