Tucholsky, a young journalist at the beginning of his career,[2] wrote the book with autobiographical background[3] in 1912, as his first literary work.

[1] The short Erzählung [de] (story, literally: narrative) describes a trip of three days over a weekend of two young people who recently met, Claire and Wolfgang.

[3] They arrive by train, visit Schloss Rheinsberg, take a boat tour on the surrounding lakes, admire the unspoiled nature which is unusual for them, and stroll at night, seeing parts of a stage play through a window.

After a final stroll through the park, they return home to "the big city, ... grey days and longing telephone conversations, secretive afternoons, work and all the happiness of their great love" ("in die große Stadt, in der es wieder Mühen für sie gab, graue Tage und sehnsüchtige Telefongespräche, verschwiegene Nachmittage, Arbeit und das ganze Glück ihrer großen Liebe.

[1][2] The book was adapted for film and released in 1967 as Rheinsberg, a West-German production directed by Kurt Hoffmann, with Cornelia Froboess and Christian Wolff in the principal roles.

The production was the entry for the Prix Italia 1987,[9] translated by Katherine Vanovitch to English and by Elisabeth Radermacher to French.