| Dithmarschen | |
 Map of Schleswig-Holstein highlighting the district of Dithmarschen | |
| State | Schleswig-Holstein |
| District seat | Heide |
| Area | 1405 km² |
| Population | 137,500 (2002) |
| Pop. density | 98 /km² |
| Licence plate code | HEI |
| Web page | http://www.dithmarschen.de |
Dithmarschen (IPA: [ˈdɪtmaʁʃən]) is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Germany (Deutschland is a Federal Republic consisting of sixteen States, known in German as Länder (singular is the northernmost of the 16 ''Bundesländer'' in Germany. The former English name was Sleswick-Holsatia the Danish name is Heide is a town in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the capital of the Kreis (district Dithmarschen. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume German car number plates ( Kfz-Kennzeichen) show the place where the car carrying them is registered is the northernmost of the 16 ''Bundesländer'' in Germany. The former English name was Sleswick-Holsatia the Danish name is Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Nordfriesland, Schleswig-Flensburg, Rendsburg-Eckernförde, and Steinburg, by the state of Lower Saxony (district of Stade, from which it is separated by the Elbe river), and by the North Sea. Nordfriesland, English " Northern Friesland " or " North Frisia " is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Schleswig-Flensburg ( Danish: Slesvig-Flensborg) is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Rendsburg-Eckernförde (Rendsborg-Egernførde is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Steinburg is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise the districts of Dithmarschen, Rendsburg-Eckernförde Lower Saxony ( German: Niedersachsen ch is pronounced before an s --> lies in north-western Germany and is second Stade is a district ( Landkreis) in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise the districts of Harburg, The Elbe ( die Elbe Low German: de Ilv) is one of the major Rivers of Central Europe. The North Sea is a marginal, Epeiric sea of the Atlantic Ocean on the European Continental shelf.
Contents |
Geography
The district is located on the North Sea. The North Sea is a marginal, Epeiric sea of the Atlantic Ocean on the European Continental shelf. It is embraced by the Elbe estuary to the south and the Eider estuary to the north. The Elbe ( die Elbe Low German: de Ilv) is one of the major Rivers of Central Europe. For the river see Eider River. For other uses see Eider (disambiguation. Today it forms a kind of artificial island, surrounded by the Eider river in the north and the Kiel Canal in both the east and southeast. An artificial island is an Island that has been constructed by humans rather than formed by natural means The Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee-Kanal until 1948 known as the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal, is a 61 miles (98 kilometres long Canal in the German Bundesland It is a rather flat countryside that was once full of fens and swamps.
To the north it borders on Nordfriesland and Schleswig-Flensburg, to the east on Rendsburg-Eckernförde, and in the southeast on Steinburg. Nordfriesland, English " Northern Friesland " or " North Frisia " is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Schleswig-Flensburg ( Danish: Slesvig-Flensborg) is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Rendsburg-Eckernförde (Rendsborg-Egernførde is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Steinburg is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise the districts of Dithmarschen, Rendsburg-Eckernförde Its landward boundaries have remained basically the same since the times of Charlemagne. Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his Land reclamation, however, has almost doubled the size of Dithmarschen as land has been wrested from the sea. Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices One involves creating new land from sea- or riverbeds the other refers to restoring an area to a more natural state (such as after
Important towns are Hamburg and Itzehoe to the south, Husum to the north, and Kiel and Rendsburg to the east. Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Itzehoe is a Town in Germany, in the ''Bundesland'' of Schleswig-Holstein, the capital of the district of Steinburg. Husum ( North Frisian: Hüsem is the capital of the Kreis (district Nordfriesland in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. For the city in the United States, see Kiel Wisconsin. For the name see Kiel (name. Rendsburg (Rendsborg is a town on the Kiel Canal in the northeastern part of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The main roads and rail lines in Schleswig-Holstein follow a north-south direction, making Hamburg its most accessible city.
The district has a maximum north-south length of 54 kilometers and an east-west length of 41 kilometers. The highest point, near Schrum in the Geestland, is 78 meters above sea level and the lowest point, near Burg, is 0. Geestland or Geest is a type of landscape in Northern Germany, the Northern Netherlands and Denmark. 5 meters below sea level.
Dithmarschen's landscape owes its character to the North Sea. From west to east Dithmarschen consists of the Wadden Sea, Marsh, Bog, and the Geestland. The Wadden Sea ( Vadehavet, Waddenzee, Wattenmeer, Low German: Wattensee, West Frisian: Waadsee In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject A bog or mire is a Wetland type that accumulates Acidic Peat, a deposit of dead plant material &ndash usually Mosses but also Geestland or Geest is a type of landscape in Northern Germany, the Northern Netherlands and Denmark. The North Sea had a higher sea level 6,500 years ago than today and the coastline then ran along the Geestland. About 4,500 years ago, Geestland structures were connected by sand and gravel depositions that formed Spits. A spit is a deposition Landform found off Coasts. At one end spits connect to land while at the far end they exist in open water Bogs, lakes, and swamps emerged as the area behind the spits no longer flooded. After the first plants (Glasswort) took root, the land transformed first to salt marshes and finally to marshes. The common name Glasswort came into use in the 16th Century to describe plants growing in England whose ashes could be used for making soda-based (as opposed to Potash These marshes rank among the most fertile of Germany's soils. Vegetable farming in Dithmarschen produces the highest yields in Schleswig-Holstein.
Since about the 8th century, the people of Dithmarschen have been living on Terps for protection from the sea. In the 12th century, they began building Dikes to protect their pastures and fields. LeveeEmbankmentDitch A dike (or dyke) levee, levée, embankment, floodbank or stopbank is a natural or artificial Since about the 15th century, they have been reclaiming land from the sea.
Fauna and Flora
While the Geest has some woods, trees are found in marshlands only in form of wind protection around houses or villages. Traditional are the knicks, tree rows with strong underwood to protect agricultural land from the wind.
In Dithmarschen lay several bogs. A special position is taken with the "Weißes Moor" (White bog), the only bog still existing in quite natural shape in the Schleswig-Holstein marsh land.
Part of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park is in Dithmarschen. The Wadden Sea National Parks are located along the German coast of the North Sea. It is the most important habitat in the district. Here live many molluscs, including Bivalvia and Gastropeda, Worms and Crustacea, are welcome nourishment to bigger species. Especially fish use the Wadden Sea as a "Kindergarten" where they can raise their offspring in a protected environment. Although many species of birds settle permanently in the Wadden Sea, use it as a winter habitat or as a resting place. Typical birds in Dithmarschen are Dunlin, Red Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Lapwings, Charadriidae, Eurasian Oystercatcher, many species of Anatinae- and Gulls, Terns, Sandwich Tern, Pied Avocet, Brent Goose and Barnacle Goose. The Dunlin, Calidris alpina, is a small Wader, sometimes separated with the other " Stints quot in Erolia. The Bar-tailed Godwit, Limosa lapponica, is a large Wader in the family Scolopacidae, which breeds on Arctic coasts and tundra Vanellinae are a Subfamily of medium-sized wading Birds belonging to the family Charadriidae, which also includes the Plovers The bird family Charadriidae includes the Plovers Dotterels and Lapwings about 64 to 66 Species in all The Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, also known as the Common Pied Oystercatcher, or (in Europe) just Oystercatcher, is a The Anatinae is a Subfamily of the family Anatidae ( Swans geese and Ducks. Gulls (often informally Seagulls) are birds in the family Laridae Terns are Seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily (Sterninae of the gull family Laridae (van Tuinen et al The Sandwich Tern ( Thalasseus sandvicensis, syn Sterna sandvicensis is a Seabird of the Tern family Sternidae The Pied Avocet ( Recurvirostra avosetta) is a large Wader in the Avocet and Stilt family Recurvirostridae The Brent Goose ( Branta bernicla) a Goose of the Genus Branta, is known in North America as Brant. The Barnacle Goose ( Branta leucopsis) belongs to the Genus Branta of black geese, which contains Species with largely black Alone 200. 000 Common Shelducks come in August, The Shelducks lose their feathers in the Wadden Sea and therefore are for around three weeks unable to fly. The Common Shelduck ( Tadorna tadorna) is a widespread and common duck of the Genus Tadorna. It is almost the whole Common Shelduck colony in North Western Europe. Big Salt marsh are at the Friedrichskoog coast and in the Neufeld Bay. A salt marsh is a type of Marsh that is a transitional intertidal between land and salty or Brackish water (e
Three sand banks, Trischen, Tertius and Blauort are in the sea. They are some of only a few still natural habitats at the German coast and of importance to sea birds and seals. After futile attempts in the 1930s to make them habitable to humans, now they are part of the national park, forbidden to humans. Many birds preferring wet grasslands live in the Eider-Treene-Valley.
History
In medieval times the marshland villages of Dithmarschen enjoyed remarkable autonomy. In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject In the 15th century they confederated in a peasants' republic. Several times nobles and their mercenaries tried without success to subdue the independent ministate. In 1500 the greatest of these battles took place at Hemmingstedt, where the outnumbered peasants defeated the army of Holstein and the Kalmar Union. The Battle of Hemmingstedt took place on February 17 1500 near the village of Hemmingstedt in present-day Schleswig-Holstein in Germany Holstein (ˈhɔlʃtain ( Low German: Holsteen, Danish: Holsten, Latin and historical English: Holsatia) The Kalmar Union ( Danish, Norwegian and Swedish: Kalmarunionen) is a historiographical term meaning a series of Personal It was not until 1559 and the "last feud" between the King of Denmark and the Dithmarschers that the peasants were forced to give up their autonomy by the successful invasion of Count Johan Rantzau from Steinburg, one of the best strategists of the time. Johan (also Johann) Rantzau ( November 12, 1492 &ndash December 12, 1565) was a German - Danish Steinburg is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise the districts of Dithmarschen, Rendsburg-Eckernförde Since then the coat of arms of Dithmarschen has shown a warrior on horseback, representing a knight of Rantzau. This knight has been identified with St. Georg, the patron of Dithmarschen.
The conquerors — King Frederick II, Duke Adolf, and Duke Johann II — divided Dithmarschen into two parts: the south became a part of Holstein in personal union with Denmark while the north came into the possession of the other Duke of Holstein. Frederick II ( 1 July 1534 &ndash 4 April 1588) King of Denmark and Norway from 1559 until his death Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp ( 25 January 1526 &ndash 1 October 1586) was the first Duke of Holstein-Gottorp from the line of Holstein-Gottorp A personal union is the combination by which two different States are governed by the same Monarch, while their boundaries their laws and their interests remain distinct From 1773 all of Holstein was united in personal union with Denmark and remained so until 1864, when Schleswig and Holstein were annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia and subsequently made the Province of Schleswig-Holstein. The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising The Province of Schleswig-Holstein (Provinz Schleswig-Holstein was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to
The Middle Ages in Dithmarschen are held to have continued into the 19th century, when the Kiel Canal was completed, fens began to be drained, and agricultural reforms took place. Within the Bundesland Schleswig-Holstein, the area was divided into the districts of Norderdithmarschen (North Dithmarschen) and Süderdithmarschen (South Dithmarschen) before it was united in 1970 as the district of Dithmarschen. Germany (Deutschland is a Federal Republic consisting of sixteen States, known in German as Länder (singular Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Culture
Traditions
The people of Dithmarschen have always displayed great pride in their history. In recent decades many traditions have been revitalized and new events in a traditional fashion have been created. (It may be hard to distinguish activities inspired by tradition and activities fostering tourism in the region. )
Traditional events in many smaller villages include rolandreiten, ringreiten, children's vogelschießen, and klootschieten. Klootschieten ("Ball shooting" in English is a Sport in the Netherlands. In Heide the traditional festival is "Hohnbeer", in Nordhastedt it is "Frunsbeer". Nordhastedt is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. In recent decades tourism promotion has focused on the Dithmarschen Cabbage Days that begin with the cabbage harvest. The medieval festival in Heide tries to connect itself to the markets that were held in Heide in the Middle Ages but this festival is actually a latter-day recreation of the late 20th century. In Friedrichstadt and Büsum there are annual trawler regattas.
Traditional dishes include dithmarscher mehlbeutel, schwarzsauer, buttermilk soup with klüten, kale soup, and bread pudding with common shrimps. Kale or Borecole is a form of Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea Acephala Group) green in color in which the central leaves do not Crangon crangon ( Common names include brown shrimp, common shrimp and sand shrimp) is a commercially important species of Since the late 19th century cabbage has become an important dish as well. The cabbage ( Brassica oleracea var capitata) is a leafy garden plant of the Family Brassicaceae (or Cruciferae used as a In northern Germany Dithmarschen is well known for its Dithmarscher beer from the brewery Karl Hintz in Marne.
Language
High German is by now the dominant language but Low German in its Holsteinisch version still has a place in informal conversation. Low German or Low Saxon (in Germany: Plattdüütsch or Nedderdüütsch; in Netherlands: Nedersaksisch or Nederduuts Holsteinisch is a Northern Low Saxon dialect spoken in Holstein, the southern part of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany. Until the 1960s Low German was the prevailing language of everyday communication. Most Dithmarschers born before 1960 still consider Low German their mother tongue. Low German is more common in rural regions than in urban regions and more likely to be spoken by older Dithmarschers.
The best known author of "high literature" in Low German was Klaus Groth from Heide. Klaus Groth ( April 24, 1819 - June 1, 1899) Low German Poet, was born at Heide in Schleswig-Holstein. The best known Low German speaker in Germany today is probably Wilhelm Wieben, former anchorman of the popular German news Tagesschau, who now produces Low German audio books. Only two episodes of the popular crime television show Tatort carried subtitles for its German audience. Tatort ( English title: Crime Scene) is a long-running German / Austrian former Swiss, crime television series set in various One of these episodes centered its plot in Dithmarschen: the Low German in the dialogue was thought to be too difficult for a generic German audience to follow!
Architecture
The Dithmarschen landscape was long dominated by churches. Palaces were never built in the farmers' republic. The few castles that were constructed played only minor roles and have long since been reduced to groundworks. In contrast, churches were symbols of not only spiritual but also worldly power. The medieval republic organised itself into Parishes ("Kirchspiele") centered on churches. A parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches A Dithmarschen church was not just a sacral building; it was also the primary place for political meetings. Administration of spiritual and political matters was done by the same people in the same place, so little need for representative secular buildings arose. Political and religious life in Dithmarschen remained undivided until Schleswig-Holstein's integration into Prussia in 1867.
In the flat marshland of Dithmarschen, church towers can often be seen from more than 10 kilometers away. Churches are built on the highest point of the Terpen in the center of villages such as Wesselburen, Marne, and Wöhrden. Wesselburen (vɛsəlˈbuːʁən is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen in the German Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein. Marne is a town in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Wöhrden is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Village streets run toward the central church, giving these villages a distinct medieval character. It is likely that older houses were removed to make room for these churches. In the Geest, the village church stands on the medieval rim of the village or with other houses within it; the settlements of the Geest existed before their churches were built and there was no special need to protect these churches from flooding.
The most important church of Dithmarschen was the so-called Meldorf Cathedral. Hennstedt may refer to Hennstedt Dithmarschen, a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen Schleswig-Holstein Germany Hennstedt Steinburg Between the 9th and 11th century it was the only church in Dithmarschen and one of the few north of the Elbe River. The Elbe ( die Elbe Low German: de Ilv) is one of the major Rivers of Central Europe. In the Middle Ages the place around this church was the most important meeting place in Dithmarschen and Meldorf itself was the only settlement to develop a distinct urban structure. Meldorf is a city in western Schleswig-Holstein, in the district of Dithmarschen, and straddling the Miele river Even after the political center moved to Heide, the Meldorf cathedral remained the most important religious site in Dithmarschen. The Reformation in Dithmarschen began there in 1524. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time
Today's church was built in the 14th century. While the outside was mainly rebuilt in the 19th century, inside one can still see Gothic architecture from the years 1250 to 1300. The paintings are among the most magnificent in Schleswig-Holstein, giving an impression of the former wealth of the farmers' republic.
St. Jürgen church in Heide began as a chapel built in the 15th century. Due to conflicts in Dithmarschen, Meldorf lost its role as central meeting point. The people of northern Dithmarschen began to meet in 1447 "auf der Heide" ("on the heath"); later, the Council of the 48—representatives of the most important families and the central decision body of Dithmarschen—met at St. Jürgen. The core of the long, single-nave church is still the 15th-century building. Its outer appearance is dominated by a late-renaissance three-story tower added by Johann Georg Schott in 1724.
St. Bartholomäus in Wesselburen was also built in 1737/1738 by Johann Georg Schott. He constructed the baroque building from the remains of older churches after Wesselburen burned down in 1736. Its onion dome is highly unusual for Northern Germany. Also notable are the 12th century church in Tellingstedt and the churches in Hemme and Büsum, which display the traditional coat of arms of the "Geschlechter" inside. Tellingstedt is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Büsum is a fishing and tourist town in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
Education
In 1993 Schleswig-Holstein's latest Fachhochschule (comparable to a Polytechnics) was established in Heide. A Fachhochschule (plural Fachhochschulen) or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of University, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas Institute of technology, and polytechnic, are designations employed in a wide range of learning institutions awarding different types of degrees and operating often at variable There are 800 students studying economics, electrical engineering, information technology, international tourism management, and law at the Fachhochschule Westküste (Fachhochschule West Coast). The Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel has an outpost in the Büsum-based Forschungs- und Technologiezentrum Westküste (Research and Technology Center West Coast), which researches coastal geology, coastal geography, and coastal protection. The University of Kiel ( German Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, CAU) is a University in the city of Kiel, Germany
In 2004, 17,900 students were studying in Dithmarschen schools. In the district there are six Gymnasiums, three Fachgymnasiusms, two vocational schools, and 44 schools for primary education. A gymnasium (pronounced with ɡ- in several languages is a type of school providing Secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar
Economy
The Dithmarschen economy consists mainly of tourism, agriculture, and energy. Tourism is concentrated in the north in Büsum and in the south in Friedrichskoog. Büsum is a fishing and tourist town in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Friedrichskoog is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Most tourists come as families to enjoy the North Sea beaches. A significant number of tourists also come for bicycle trekking. Almost all the approximately two million tourists each year come from Germany.
The unemployment rate was 11. 6% in September 2004. After the Hartz concept was implemented and new statistical methods were adopted, the unemployment rate rose to 17. The Hartz concept is the name given to the recommendations resulting from a commission on reforms to the German labour market in 2002. 4% in January 2005. The unemployment rate was far above the average for Schleswig-Holstein (12. 7%) and the rest of Germany. The most important employers in the district are Bayer in Brunsbüttel (1,000 employees), the Sparkasse Westholstein (600), the Royal Dutch Shell refinery in Hemmingstedt (570), the Sasol chemistry works in Brunsbüttel (570), the printing company Evers in Meldorf (560), and the Beyschlag manufacturing plant in Heide. For other uses see Bayer (disambiguation or Beyer or Buyer. Bayer AG (German ˈbaɪə () is a German Royal Dutch Shell plc, commonly known simply as Shell, is a multinational oil company of Dutch and British origins Sasol (originally Afrikaans for Suid-Afrikaanse Steenkool en Olie - South African Coal and Oil is a South African company involved in mining energy chemicals The Bundeswehr has a school for non-commissioned officers in Heide. The Bundeswehr ( German for "Federal Defence Force") is the name of the unified Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany
In recent years the number of people who live in Dithmarschen but work in Hamburg and its surroundings has steadily risen. Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany In 2002 9,200 people drove to work outside the district, including 1,700 who commuted to Hamburg.
Energy
Commercial wind farming in Germany began in Dithmarschen. Germany's first wind park was opened 1987 in Kaiser-Wilhelm-Koog, the experimental GROWIAN ("Große Windkraftanlage" - big wind turbine) stood there from 1983 to 1987. A wind farm is a group of Wind turbines in the same location used for production of electric power Kaiser-Wilhelm-Koog is a municipality situated along the North Sea coast in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany As of 2008 the tallest wind turbine in the world is the experimental Enercon E-126 near Emden. Emden is a City and Seaport in the northwest of Germany, on River Ems.
In Dithmarschen stand around 800 wind turbines, almost all of them in marshland. A wind turbine is a rotating machine which converts the Kinetic energy in Wind into Mechanical energy. That means that 5% of all German wind turbines stand on 0. 15% of its area. Except for Büsum, where a small airport prevents their erection, and the nature reserve at Speicherkoog, the whole coastline is lined by wind turbines. In 2003 they produced around KWH of energy, which is about half the energy demand of Dithmarschen. According to E.on-Hanse, the local energy company, in the same time it paid 59 million Euro for the energy, 3 to 5 million Euro were paid to farmers on whose land the turbines stand. EON AG ( an energy corporation based in Düsseldorf, Germany, is the largest of the 30 members of the DAX Stock index of major The income through taxes for the district is around 4 million Euro each year. Because commercial wind farming in Germany began in Dithmarschen, many wind turbines are relative old and produce only a small amount of electricity. For people interested in wind turbines this makes an interesting contrast, though, since it is possible to see many working varieties of wind turbines standing close to each other.
The offshore oil field Mittelplate close to the coast produces 2 million tons of petroleum, around 54% of German production. Mittelplate is Germany ’s largest Oil field. It was first tapped from the homonymous concrete Oil platform Mittelplate-A The refinery in Hemmingstedt processes around 4 million tons of oil each year, partly from Mittelplate and partly from oil delivered through the Brunsbüttel port. Another oil field between Heide and Hemmingstedt was active until 1991. The nuclear power plant in Brunsbuttel is one of the oldest in Germany. It also has the most reported accidents and the longest periods of nonproductive downtime. It is supposed to close down in 2008.
Tourism
The main tourist attractions in Dithmarschen are the North Sea and the Wadden Sea National Park. The Wadden Sea National Parks are located along the German coast of the North Sea. The district owns about 10 kilometers of green beaches; Büsum also provides an artificial sandy beach. Büsum is a fishing and tourist town in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. In 2003, 205,382 tourists spent 1,173,205 nights in Dithmarschen, most of them in Büsum (756,630 nights), which is ranked before Friedrichskoog (75,654) and Büsumer Deichhausen (33,811). Friedrichskoog is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Büsumer Deichhausen (formerly "Dykhusen" is a municipality belonging to the ''Amt'' ("collective municipality" Büsum-Wesselburen in the district Tourism has declined slightly over the last few years but not as much as tourism on the Schleswig-Holstein Baltic coast. Recent competition with the former Warsaw Pact states and their Baltic coasts has had less impact on Dithmarschen because their coastal formations are quite different.
Entrance fees for beaches raise heated controversy in the district. Büsum (around 1,000,000 beach visits each year) and Friedrichskoog (300,000) impose a fee. However, most smaller villages nearby do not.
The tourism industry in Dithmarschen is trying to diversify tourist attractions. Fitness and health play an increasing role in German life, so tracks and roads for bicycles and inline skates are being built. Part of the North Sea Cycle Route crosses through Dithmarschen. The North Sea Cycle Route is a 6000 km cycle route through England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany In the east of Dithmarschen, ecological travel by canoe or kayak along the Eider is promoted. Policy makers and tourism agencies also emphasize the cultural and historical roots of the district.
Coat of arms
 | The district coat of arms displays a knight of Holstein. Holstein (ˈhɔlʃtain ( Low German: Holsteen, Danish: Holsten, Latin and historical English: Holsatia) This coat of arms was unpopular for many years in Dithmarschen because it was the sign of conquerors. These arms were used by governors but were not accepted by the people. In 1930, when these ancient hostilities had become irrelevant, this coat of arms was re-introduced in slightly different forms by both South Dithmarschen and North Dithmarschen. Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. When both districts were united in 1970, the arms of South Dithmarschen became the symbol of the newly merged district. |
Towns and municipalities
Towns and municipalities in Dithmarschen developed from the old Parishwaes that were independent political divisions in the medieval farmers' republic. A parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches These parishes existed as primary political divisions until the 19th century. Only Meldorf was able to develop an urban structure during the Middle Ages.
In more recent times Heide became a rival to Meldorf. Wesselburen and Wöhrden had some importance as central villages of the rich northern marshland.
After Schleswig-Holstein was annexed by Prussia in 1867, some villages became towns and therefore administratively left their old parishes: Meldorf in 1869, Heide in 1878, Marne in 1891, and Wesselburen in 1899. The old village of Brunsbüttel and the newly-founded Brunsbüttelkoog united in 1970 to become the town of Brunsbüttel.
Parishes were finally dissolved and single villages became independent during the Nazi period. For efficient administration, municipalities are united in Ämtern, which for historical reasons are named Amt Kirchspielslandgemeinden (Amt Parish's Country Municipalities). " Amt " is a type of Administrative division of some Northern European countries
The largest town by population is Heide. Büsum has a special role as tourist resort. Although a member of an Amt, its summertime population swells to become the largest in the district.
In socio-geographics the difference between marshland and the higher, dryer uplands has played an important role. The fertile marshland was historically rich while the uplands were poor but less prone to flooding. The two most important towns, Heide and Meldorf, were built on the safe geest but directly adjacent to marshland where people could have their fields.
(Population on September, 30 2005)
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| 1seat of the Amt Kirchspielslandgemeinde; 2town | ||
Twinning
Dithmarschen is currently twinned with Restormel, a borough in the British county of Cornwall. Schrum is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Tensbüttel-Röst is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Wennbüttel is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Windbergen is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Twinning Restormel is twinned by oath which can be viewed in the council offices in St Austell, with Kreis Dithmarschen. The main link is between St Austell and Newquay and Heide. However there are a lot more people who also make use of the twinning!
External links
- Official Restormel Dithmarschen Twinning Homepage (English)
- Official website (German)
- www.dithmarschen-wiki.de Enyclopaedia of Dithmarschen (German)
- www.museum-albersdorf.de Museum Website, thorough information about the history of Dithmarschen, author: Dr. Volker Arnold (German with English abstracts)
- The Dithmarschen Wars (English)
- Battle of Hemmingstedt, image
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