Yr Afon

While the Rhine is rich in romance, literature and folklore, the river has also witnessed some of the bloodiest episodes in the history of the 20th Century.

To Hitler, the Rhine-maidens were a symbol of Aryan perfection: the Jewish citizens of picturesque German town, Worms were wiped out in his quest for "racial purity" and the town remains the location of the biggest Jewish cemetery in Europe. Mererid's journey also takes us to Arnhem, in the Netherlands, to understand how its bridge over the Rhine became the setting for one of the most famous battles of the Second World War.

Over the centuries the fight for the ownership of the Rhine has had direct impact on the borders of the countries which lie along her banks - with bizarre consequences for their populations. Only personal stories can convey the true spirit of the Rhine and none is stranger than the story of Jean Hugel's grandfather, from Alsace. He was born a Frenchman and changed nationalities not once or twice but three times - to become a Prussian and subsequently a German before dying a Frenchman once more.

Today, people from all around the world have made their homes along the Rhine. One of its recent settlers is the Turkish poet Hassan Özdemir, who came to Germany as a teenager. Whilst chatting to Mererid, he describes how he feels the river "flowing in his veins". He emphasizes the need for the older peoples of the Rhine to keep flowing and changing like the river itself in order to survive and to accept that newcomers like him now also call the river their home.

However, the changes the Rhine is currently undergoing appear to be for the worst – her biggest enemy are the very people who rely on her for their existence.

The gradual industrialisation of the Rhine has caused direct harm to its waters over the last few decades, but the biggest threat now facing the river is the worldwide phenomenon of climate change.

As a consequence of global warming, the Rheinwaldhorn glacier is melting quicker than ever and has lost over 25% of its volume in as many years. If the deterioration continues at the same rate, the increase in the flow of water could cause the river to break its banks, causing widespread flooding. But after a history that has seemingly emphasized their differences, can the peoples of the Rhine unite to defend their river?

Mererid Hopwood concludes, "The Rhine has from time immemorial served a diversity of peoples and nations. People have fought over its waters but now they will have to come together to serve the river and fight side-by-side to maintain its future in all its colourful diversity."

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