Helgoland Island in the North Sea, or how I lost land for the first time in my life. Helgoland Island: Unexplored Germany You Didn't Know Red Rock Island Helgoland Interesting Facts

If you happen to be in Hamburg and you have a free day, we will give you great advice on how to make it unforgettable. Actually, we are not talking about Hamburg itself, but about the island of Helgoland, an unpretentious piece of land 150 km from the city, which is unfairly ignored by many tourists. But in vain. This tiny idyllic island has a lot to offer travelers of all stripes.

Some facts

So, Helgoland is a piece of land with an area of ​​​​about 1 sq. km, where a little more than 1000 islanders live. The first settlements date back to about the 7th century - it was then that the Frisians, one of the small Germanic peoples, settled here. The original inhabitants of Heligoland are their descendants and still speak the Frisian dialect.

Strictly speaking, calling Helgoland an island is not entirely correct. At the beginning of the 18th century, a powerful storm swept across the North Sea, breaking off a piece of land from the island, which became a “close neighbor” of Heligoland and was named Dune.

Geographically, as well as from the point of view of world law, the location of the island can hardly be described as "open sea". Nevertheless, 70 km from the mainland is a considerable distance, due to which Heligoland is often referred to as "the only German island on the high seas." It is also the extreme point of the German land of Schleswig-Holstein and all of Germany.

For centuries, steep coastal cliffs made of unusually colorful sandstone and unique natural landscapes, along with a mild maritime climate, have attracted poets, writers and artists from all over Europe. No wonder, because on the island, surrounded on all sides only by the endless North Sea, it seems as if time has stopped. It was in this enchanting detachment that the "Song of the Germans" was written, which later became the official anthem of Germany.

Why does Helgoland deserve special attention?

Heligoland and neighboring Dune are home to amazing mammals of their kind - seals (Germ. Robbe). They are the main reason for the popularity of the tiny archipelago. Travel brochures and brochures are literally littered with photographs of these cute creatures. Do not regret 5 euros for a ticket and go to the neighboring Dune on a small boat. A bearded and stately captain, such a typical northerner, will take you to a neighboring island in a matter of minutes.

Seals are the main reason for the popularity of this amazing tiny archipelago.

Unlike Heligoland itself, where seals only visit in a few companies, on the Dune they feel like full-fledged and permanent residents. Stepping onto one of the beaches untouched by man, you will be amazed at what you see: dozens of clumsy creatures lazily sunbathing on the sand, now and then making melodic sounds. Yes, nature has not deprived the pinnipeds of vocal abilities.

The "owners of the beach" have long adapted to frequent guests and even allow themselves to be photographed. However, don't get too close to them, as you might accidentally scare some of them, and besides, you risk angering the few locals. We recommend taking a selfie with a seal from a distance of 10 meters.

Are you surprised who Anna is? On the very edge of the island, on its northern side, there is a symbol and at the same time a visiting card of Helgoland - Long Anna Rock (German: Long Anna). Lange Anna).

The 47-meter symbol of the island, resembling a giant tooth, has become home to many seabirds

The 47-meter symbol of the island, which looks like a giant tooth, has become home to many species of sea birds. The birds have inhabited literally every centimeter of the sandy cliff, despite the fact that the neighboring rocks remain almost untouched. Thanks to this, an endless concert of bird noise is heard near the Long Anna.

It is noteworthy that the rock got its name in honor of a long-legged waitress named Anna, who served on the island more than a hundred years ago. Well, let's not judge strictly German humor.

On your way to the rock, you will pass the Oberland hill, which offers a panorama of the long sandy beach, as well as the neighboring islet of Dune. Thus, before leaving, you can once again remember the meeting with charming pinnipeds, which you will hardly be able to forget.

Surfing

An interesting fact is that Heligoland is practically the only place in Germany where offshore winds blow. This makes the island very attractive for surfing. However, keep in mind that the water off the coast of the island rarely warms up above 18 degrees, and the air temperature in the hottest months usually does not exceed +25. The best time to surf is during strong northeast or east winds.

Purchases

A pleasant surprise for you may be the opportunity to make an unusual shopping on the island. The thing is that Heligoland has a special tax and customs status in the European Union, and trade here is not subject to special duties.

Heligoland has a special tax and customs status, and trade here is not subject to duties.

The entire territory of the island is a duty free zone! Wherever you go, duty-free shops will treacherously lie in wait for you everywhere. Of course, there are no branded boutiques, sales and chains of trendy restaurants. But there are plenty of shops where you can buy alcohol, cigarettes, perfumes, cosmetics and other goods at very competitive prices. The prices will pleasantly surprise you.

It is worth noting that some stores offer very rare and even unique products that you cannot find on the mainland, such as exclusive alcohol or souvenirs. It is here that thrifty Germans living nearby often go shopping.

Speaking of souvenirs: the most common is, of course, the seal. Here you will find magnets, posters, calendars, figurines made of wood and porcelain, soft toys and many other amenities to remember the meeting with these kind people who so kindly agreed to receive you in their domain.

delicacies

Fans of tasty and unusual food will satisfy their appetites on the Hummerbuden embankment. It is here, near the port, among the old colorful wooden shopping arcades that you can taste an exquisite delicacy - freshly caught Helgoland lobster. Also on the island you should try lobster soup, meat schnitzels and various local cheeses. The only drawback: slightly overpriced due to the remoteness of the island from the mainland. But we guarantee that the uniqueness of the local cuisine will more than cover it.

Health tourism

On Helgoland there is a ban on the movement of any vehicles and even bicycles, which means that the air is not spoiled by exhaust gases. The only permitted method of transportation is ... a scooter. However, the tiny island is not difficult to get around on foot.

The good news for allergy sufferers is that there are practically no shrubs and trees on Helgoland, and thanks to the winds that blow on the island from all sides, the air is free from pollen. These factors, combined with the mild climate, make it popular as a center for health tourism.

Availability

Getting to the ends of the earth is not so difficult. Modern comfortable catamarans leave for Heligoland daily from March to October from the port of Hamburg, making a stop in the city of Cuxhaven along the way. Travel time is a little less than four hours. You can buy tickets directly on the embankment (underground station Landungsbrucken), by finding the ticket offices of the Helgoline carrier company, or by booking on the website www.helgoline.com. A round trip ticket in second class costs 69 euros. If you have arrived in Hamburg and are planning to stay there for several days, we advise you to purchase a Hamburg Card. In addition to the right to free travel on public transport and discounts to city museums, the card will help you save about 10 euros on the purchase of ferry tickets.

Tip: seasickness can set in on the high seas, and so that you don’t get sick, take precautions in advance. You can always go out on the open deck and breathe in the fresh sea air, and in case you get seasick, turn to the crew members for help.

Despite the location of the island in the North Sea, there is a mild climate and almost no frost.

As for the weather, it is best to go during the warm season. However, despite the location of the island in the North Sea, a generally mild climate reigns here. The remoteness from the mainland explains the warm air even in winter - there are practically no frosts here. But keep in mind, the openness of the island also means openness to the winds. If your arrival to the island will be in the cold season, it is better to stock up on a windbreaker.

The enchanting atmosphere, originality and peculiar aloofness of Heligoland will forever be engraved in the memory and certainly will not leave indifferent even the most demanding adventure lover. And no matter how much we would like him to remain an unknown mass tourist, it is still more painful for us to keep silent about him. Go to Heligoland and share your impressions with us. Well, as the ancient Frisians would say: Welkoam iip Lunn!, that is, “Welcome to the island!”.

But did you know this about Germany?

Helgoland (Helgoland-German or Heligoland-English), in Russian-language literature for some reason always called helgoland- miniature German archipelago in Northern sea. It is located 46 kilometers from mainland Germany and consists of two islands: a triangular inhabited main island Hauptinsel(an area of ​​about 1 sq. km) and located to the west of it is much lower Dune(0.7 sq. km), almost entirely consisting of sandy beaches and having as a permanent population only the staff of several tourist campsites and a small airfield.

Lost in the sea infinity, an island with a high rocky coast of bright red sandstone cannot but arouse admiration. Looking at this incredible creation of nature, it is hard to imagine that it is not located in distant exotic lands, but in the North Sea, which washes one of the coldest countries in Europe - Great Britain, Denmark, Norway. The landscape of this bizarre triangular piece of land, only 1 sq. km, is completely uncharacteristic of the continental coast of the North Sea. Vertical fifty-meter cliffs stretched like a motley wall along the sea line in the north, west and south-west, where, moreover, steep cliffs fall another 56 meters below the water level. Interestingly, the variegated sandstone of these rocks, dating from the Triassic geologic era, is older than the white chalk rock of its base, the rock from which the White Cliffs of Dover and similar German and Danish islands in the Baltic Sea are also formed.

On the north side stands a stunning 47-meter red sandstone cliff, which is called Long Anna (Lange Anna). It is known that at the beginning of the First World War, this was the name of a tall waitress from a nearby cafe, but why the cliff was named after her remains a mystery. Thousands of years ago, "Long Anna" was part of the island, then, under the influence of water erosion, an arch was formed, washed with sea water. Currently, we see only a remnant of that arch - a giant miraculous column, which has become a symbol of Helgoland and has become the highlight of this amazing place. Unfortunately, the elements continue to seriously affect the magnificent natural monument, and the threat of its destruction is growing every day.

The history of the island is extremely interesting. Since prehistoric times, it has been inhabited by people who came here along a seventy-kilometer spit that once connected the island with the mainland and subsequently went under water due to wind erosion.

More than 6000 years ago, Helgoland was several times larger, and rivers flowed on its surface. Gradually, the deep sea began to destroy the rock of the island, advancing from the north and south, washing out the sheer cliffs.

Around the 7th century, the Frisians settled on it - one of the small Germanic peoples. For a long time, the island was considered a haven for pirates who traded in the North Sea.

In the XII-XIII centuries, Heligoland belonged to Denmark, and then went to the German Duchy of Schleswig, which, in turn, after a few centuries, itself came under the control of the Danish crown.

It was not without the intervention of people - by the 18th century, numerous mining and stone mining led to the fact that the island broke up into two parts, connected to each other by the thinnest bridge. The strongest storm in the winter of 1721 destroyed it, finally dividing Helgoland into two parts. Today, a second small island called Dune is located just 1.5 km from Helgoland and part of it serves as an airstrip.

1890

Thanks to its advantageous geographical position, Helgoland has always played a prominent role during military operations, from the time of Napoleon to the world wars of the 20th century. By the beginning of the First World War, the island was turned into a powerful German naval base, with many underground tunnels, bunkers, shelters and mines. Today, traces of that time can be found everywhere - dilapidated underground passages, entrances carved into the rocks, bomb craters overgrown with grass, and the lighthouse at the northern end of the island was once an air defense structure. After the end of the Second World War, the British government decided to destroy the island, thus eliminating the possibility of a future military threat. In 1947, the strongest non-nuclear explosion in world history thundered on the island - Helgoland survived, but its appearance was significantly changed. So, many coasts collapsed, and a lowland formed in the south.

In 1950, the island again passed into the hands of Germany, the inhabitants evacuated during the war returned here, and calm times came for Heligoland. Travelers, artists, writers, intellectuals began to come here, which turned Helgoland into a famous resort place, which it remains to this day. And no wonder, because this charming island has something to offer tourists - numerous routes will take you through the most picturesque corners of the island, where you can see majestic rocks and cliffs, green meadows where cows and sheep graze, dunes, seals basking on the seashore .

At the beginning of June, in the Lummenfelsen Wildlife Sanctuary, the smallest nature reserve in the world, where thousands of guillemots, auks, northern cormorants and gulls live, you can watch a truly amazing spectacle - the time comes for guillemot chicks to learn to fly and, having never spread their wings, they throw themselves down the cliff, but miraculously do not break.

What makes Helgoland even more special is its climate. Favorable proximity to the warm Gulf Stream and a small land area that does not hold back the cold create truly wonderful weather conditions. It is the sunniest and warmest place in Germany: even in winter, the temperature does not drop below 10 °C, which makes it possible to grow heat-loving plants such as figs here. The two long, beautiful beaches of the neighboring island of Dune, with fine sand, are reminiscent of the Caribbean with palm trees leaning over the turquoise sea - a paradise for swimming.

Helgoland is an ideal choice not only for those who dream of immersing themselves in the world of nature, taking a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, but also for lovers of a beautiful life: there is a yacht club, spa resorts, mini-golf courses, outdoor swimming pools with sea water, cozy cottages and duty-free shops. Traveling here will leave an indelible impression, and you will certainly want to return to this wonderful island.

Helgoland GPS coordinates: 54.1825, 7.885278

Helgoland is one of the oldest European resorts. The first seaside resort appeared here back in 1826, when the islands were the property of the British crown. Many famous personalities of that time rested here. He was visited more than once by Heinrich Heine.

Sunbathing seals and walruses can be admired on the beach of Dune Island. And they have already adapted so much to the frequent visits of guests that they are not at all afraid of people.

But only those tourists who are not afraid of cold water will be able to swim on the islands. After all, even on the hottest days, the water temperature does not exceed 20 ° C.

At present, the idea is being hatched to fill up the strait between the main islands. It is proposed to build several hotels on the territory reclaimed from the sea, increasing the number of hotel beds by almost three times, as well as to equip a marina and a more spacious and comfortable beach.

In a referendum held on June 26, 2011, the people of Helgoland voted against plans to expand the island. Mayor of Heligoland, Joerg Singer, who actively supported the artificial embankment project, said that the results of the referendum in no way negate plans for the further development of the island. According to him, now is the time to consider other opportunities to build up the island territory.

Previously, the majority of the population of the islands spoke the Helgolandic dialect of the Frisian language, but now it is almost supplanted by the German language. Despite this, Frisian is the official language.

Official website of the Helgoland archipelago, helgoland.de/en/welcome.html, will help you to get acquainted with the infrastructure of this German seaside resort in more detail.

At the end of World War II, the British Army had a huge surplus of ammunition and explosives that needed to be disposed of. It was proposed to use surplus ammunition for seismic experiments by setting up controlled explosions to generate seismic waves. In this way, it was planned to simulate small earthquakes. It was impractical and dangerous to carry out such experiments in England because of the very high risks involved. Thus, the British turned to the defeated Germany, and specifically to the island of Helgoland.

The British had just ended the biggest war in human history, but explosives and aggression still lingered in excess. In July 1946, an ammunition depot near the city of Soltau in northern Germany was blown up. Seismic waves from the explosion were observed at distances up to 50 km from the epicenter. But the British needed something more. Thus, they began to prepare for the most powerful non-nuclear explosion in the world, which eventually became known as the "British Strike". The target was a small archipelago called Helgoland off the German coastline.


Heligoland is a small archipelago located about 46 kilometers from the German coastline in the North Sea. It consists of two islands - a one square kilometer inhabited main island and an uninhabited small island nearby called "Dune", which also has an airstrip.


Because of its strategic location, Heligoland has a fascinating military history of its own. Initially occupied by Frisian shepherds and fishermen, the island came under the control of the Duke of Schleswig-Holstein in 1402 and then became a Danish possession in 1714. territory.

The Germans evacuated the civilian population of the island and turned it into the largest naval base, with an extensive harbor, shipyard, underground fortifications and coastal batteries. Here the famous battle took place in Helgoland Bay. When the First World War ended, the islanders returned and the island became a popular tourist resort for the German upper class. During the Nazi era, the island again became a naval stronghold and suffered severe Allied bombing towards the end of World War II.


With the defeat of Germany, the population was again evacuated. The British decided to destroy the remaining fortifications, underground bunkers and the submarine base in one powerful explosion, while simultaneously recording the readings of seismic sensors for science. On April 18, 1947, the Royal Navy detonated 6,700 tons of explosives, causing a black mushroom cloud to rise into the sky for several kilometers. People on the mainland 60 kilometers from the explosion were asked to open their windows to avoid implosion, and seismic waves were even recorded in Sicily. The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes the Helgoland explosion as the largest non-nuclear explosion in history.


The detonation was equivalent in power to one-third of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The British expected the island to be completely destroyed, but it survived, forever changed in the process. A huge crater formed at the southern tip of Helgoland, which is today a famous tourist attraction.





The RAF continued to use the island as a training ground until it was returned to West Germany on 1 March 1952. The town, harbor and resort on Dune Island have been rebuilt and Heligoland has once again become a tourist destination. Helgoland is in the top 10 list

I wrote the introduction to this entry twice. The second time I did this was due to the fact that during the creative process I suddenly discovered that in a hurry I wrote the title incorrectly. I wanted to write "... lost sight of the earth", but the last two words mysteriously disappeared. It turned out to be a curiosity, which I decided to keep and emphasize in the second edition of the introductory text. For me, for the first time in my life, to be in a situation where the earth was absent from all sides in my field of vision is an extraordinary event. It was very scary! Kidding. But seriously, I thought that I really would not be destined to be a sailor. I am sure if this situation lasted at least a day, and I would definitely fall into depression. But on the journey, which I want to talk about in this post, I lost the land for a short time - for 30–40 minutes. And then he found it again - on the island of Helgoland, where he sailed for a few hours from Hamburg.

And I also want to emphasize that this trip was one of the best episodes of my life. Perhaps it was not so full of remarkable objects, but it felt like it was definitely one of the best.

Let's start with some background information. Helgoland is an archipelago in the North Sea, belongs to the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Its area is only 1.7 square kilometers; the population concentrated in a single village (which is also called Helgoland) is 1,267 people. Here is a map of the archipelago:

The second island (Dune) appeared in 1720 due to a storm that broke it off from Heligoland.

Such a small island - and surprisingly rich turbulent history. Around the 7th century, the Frisians settled on it - one of the small Germanic peoples (since I am very interested in ethnography, this is already an important fact). For a long time, the island was considered a haven for pirates who traded in the North Sea. For a long time Heligoland belonged to Denmark, and since the beginning of the 19th century - to England. In 1826, a seaside resort was established here. Soon the island began to be popular among poets, writers, artists and other representatives of the European intellectual elite. The poet Hoffmann von Fallersleben in 1841 wrote here the text of the "Song of the Germans" - the future German anthem. In 1890, Great Britain and Germany made a territorial exchange - the first received the African island of Zanzibar, and the second - Heligoland. Germany quickly mastered the new acquisition: flights from Hamburg to Helgoland became very popular:

Catamaran and flight from Hamburg to Helgoland

They continue to this day, and I traveled along this route. The day before, I read that a catamaran leaves from the Landungsbrücken pier at 9:00 every day. I didn’t really know what it was - for some reason, images of the native boats of Oceania came to mind. These absurd images confused me; I was afraid that the ship would be fragile, and I would not endure the journey well. In fact, this Norwegian-made catamaran is a powerful, reliable vessel, the pitching on which is almost not felt (I only felt a little a few times):

True, the sea that day was completely calm, so I did not have the opportunity to check the stability of the catamaran in heavy seas. Which is very good. The cost of the trip is quite high (100 euros), especially considering that I had to pay extra for a ticket in a comfortable class. There were no more ordinary ones; had to book in advance. But it is not important. For reference, I will inform you that in the comfort class there are free drinks (not alcoholic), there are tables and smaller seats.

The distance from Hamburg to Heligoland is about 150 kilometers. About half runs along the lower reaches of the Elbe. There is something to see - a lot of ships, coastal towns. Closer to the mouth, desert marches (flat marshy sands) predominate. The catamaran makes stops at two points - Wedel and Cuxhaven. After the second, the North Sea begins ...

A useful thing on the catamaran is the information monitor, where you can see the map of the route and the position of the vessel in real time. The speed value and some other data are also displayed. The speed was up to 35 knots - that's a lot! Along the way, dune bars were visible in some places, and then the stage came when only the sea was really visible from all sides.

Walk in Helgoland

Harbor and resort houses

Finally, to my great joy, Heligoland appeared on the horizon. Its landscape is crowned with a lighthouse and a radio tower. At 12:45 the catamaran arrived in the southern harbor:

On the shore, a large family of resort houses of the same shape and different colors immediately caught my eye:

These are small houses; there is more:

You can compare the current building with the one that existed at the end of the 19th century - for example, on a street with the characteristic name Kaiserstrasse:

Interestingly, at the end of the 19th century, the coast of Helgoland was in some places more thoroughly equipped than now:

By the way, I will mention one more factor of attraction for tourists on Helgoland. Since the island is not included in the customs and tax territory of the EU, some types of goods are duty-free on the island - alcohol, tobacco products, perfumes / cosmetics, tea / coffee, etc. Prices are significantly lower than in Germany. Many guests of the island actively use this local feature.

The Oberland hill and the path along the coast along the cliff

I did not linger near boarding houses and shops - I was primarily interested in that part of the island called the Oberland, that is, the Upper Land. These, of course, are not mountains at all (the maximum height here is only 40 meters), but the elevation is noticeable. The highest part lies along the western coast. Climbing up, I photographed the southern harbor and the rise leading from it:

And now look to the north, and here a spectacular landscape spreads:

The enclosing dam and the rocky precipitous coast are clearly visible. The fence along the cliff is purely symbolic…

For the first time in my life I saw such a large cluster of birds:

Birds, by the way, are not at all afraid of people; some fly up or come within arm's length and clearly beg for food. But I did not give anything to anyone, because, firstly, I did not have any food, and secondly, it is not worth corrupting the inhabitants of the wild.

Rock Long Anna

In the far north of the island there is a lonely rock - the hallmark of Helgoland:

She is called Lange Anna, that is, Long Anna. The funny thing is that this is the name of a certain tall waitress who served in one of the cafes of Heligoland a hundred years ago.

Beach

At the end of the 19th century, the northeastern part of Helgoland looked like this:

I came to the beach, originally intending only to look. There were few people, and only a few were swimming. If there were only big men like Vikings in the water, I would not dare to meddle in the NORTHERN sea, even in August and at an air temperature of about 25 degrees. But a young woman and her children of 5–7 years old were calmly swimming there. I arrogantly quickly entered the water ... and only the rules of decency kept me from a loud cry. Sighing and groaning, I trudged on ... in addition to cold water (17 degrees, I think), I was disturbed by a huge flock of small fish spinning around my body. Still, I completely plunged and climbed ashore. It was very pleasant to sit on the warm fine sand.

Helgoland Aquarium and Local History Museum

After the beach, I reached the village. It is a pity that seals did not catch my eye (in German Seehunde, that is, literally "sea dog"); they mostly inhabit nearby Dune Island. Even on Heligoland, in some seasons, there are many marsupial crabs (Taschenkrebs) on the shore; but this does not happen in August, so I only saw one or two in a glimpse from a distance. I got acquainted with the marine flora and fauna of Heligoland and the North Sea in general in a small Aquarium:

The living world of cold waters does not strike with a variety of shapes and colors, which is quite understandable - the sun's rays are infrequent guests here. But it is much more significant in terms of biomass than tropical waters. And I also learned an interesting fact for myself - it turns out that seahorses live in these latitudes. And, I suspect, it was they who became the prototypes of numerous mythological creatures of the North, such as dragons.

And not far from the Aquarium there is a small local history museum. I didn’t get there (it closes early in summer), but I saw one interesting thing on the street:

It is, as I define it, a "bathing trolley." About 120 years ago, ladies and gentlemen went to shallow water on such carts, changed clothes and went out into the water along the ladder. I don’t know how horses reacted to this, but for people, given the customs of that time, it was very convenient.

Heligoland in World War II

In the vicinity of the village are the ruins of bunkers from the Second World War. I didn’t go there (I didn’t want to in principle), but I consider it necessary to provide a certificate. The naval base here was small, since the development of strategic aviation made Helgoland too vulnerable. Therefore, he almost did not undergo raids until April 1945. A few days before the surrender of Germany, the British Air Force dropped 7,000 bombs on this tiny piece of land. This is hard to grasp; all the more impossible to understand why it was done. One gets the impression that the British government decided to destroy Heligoland altogether. Dry statistics: in 1947, the most powerful non-nuclear explosion in the history of mankind was carried out on the island. With it, the British military destroyed bunkers and other structures built in the Third Reich for submarines. At the same time, about one hundred thousand torpedo warheads, underwater bombs and grenades of various calibers flew into the air - a total of 6,700 tons of explosives. In subsequent years, the British used the already mutilated and deserted island as a training ground for bombing exercises. At the end of 1950, a group of German activists entered the island, setting up three flags on it - the Federal Republic of Germany, the international public European movement and the historical flag of Helgoland. This action drew attention to the problem of the island. Soon the Bundestag unanimously supported a resolution demanding the return of this territory to Germany, which was done in March 1952. A few years later, the island was rebuilt, and he began his new resort and tourist life.

Heligoland is the birthplace of the writer James Crews.

For me, an important attraction of Heligoland is the fact that the wonderful children's writer James Crews was born here in 1926. In the village there is a small museum, or rather a book club, dedicated to his work. Crews wrote about Heligoland in The Lighthouse on Lobster Reefs, a collection of stories. In the North Sea, on the reefs, not far from the island of Helgoland, there is a lighthouse, the caretaker lives on the lighthouse - old man Johann. Alexander's seagull sometimes flies to him, or the water Moreshlep appears, and one day Aunt Julia comes to visit on a small boat with the dwarf Hans-in-a-knot, who has lost her home on the island. The heroes of the book go fishing and tell each other amazing tales and poems: for example, about how the Carousel celebrates its birthday, how the marzipan boys have fun at the ball, and how the fisherman Frane caught a star in the sky with his net.

Here is a photolithography of the lighthouse at the time when Cruce's parents lived:

Heligoland identity

In conclusion, I want to say a few words about one feature of the local population. Like many inhabitants of the islands, especially small ones, they are very conservative. In particular, the majority of votes in the referendum rejected the project of dumping the sea area between Helgoland and Dune Island (about 100 hectares). It was planned to build hotels on this territory (increasing the number of hotel beds three times), marinas and cruise ships, as well as equip a new large beach. A grandiose project for the development of tourism infrastructure was designed to improve the economic situation of the island (rather bad, by the way). The total investment was estimated at one billion euros. But the Helgolanders did not want to change their land. There is a ban on car and bicycle traffic, and the official language, along with German, is archaic Frisian (although few people speak it, but this is a matter of principle)

Helgoland(or Helgoland, German Helgoland listen)) - an archipelago (until 1720 - a single island) in the North Sea, on the territory of Germany. Included in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein, but not included in the customs and tax territory of the European Union. The population of the village of the same name is 1267 people.

Formerly, the majority of the island's population spoke Helgolandic Frisian, but this has now been largely superseded by German. Despite this, Frisian is the official language.

Story

The island has been inhabited since prehistoric times. 6500 years ago, the territory of the island was connected to the continental part of Europe. Around the 7th century, the Frisians settled on it - one of the small Germanic peoples. For a long time, the island was considered a haven for pirates who traded in the North Sea. In the XII-XIII centuries, Heligoland belonged to Denmark, and then went to the German Duchy of Schleswig, which, in turn, after a few centuries, itself came under the control of the Danish crown. In 1720, as a result of a storm, the island split into two. Golden times for the island came during the years of the Napoleonic wars. As a result of the sea blockade declared by the French emperor of Great Britain, Heligoland became a lively transshipment base for smugglers. The strategic position has affected. In 1807, it was occupied by British troops, after which it became part of Great Britain. In 1826, a seaside resort was established here. Soon the island began to be popular among poets, writers, artists and other representatives of the European intellectual elite. Heinrich Heine spoke enthusiastically about him, and Hoffmann von Fallersleben wrote the text here in 1841 "Songs of the Germans". It later became the anthem of the Weimar Republic. In 1933, only the first stanza became the anthem of the Third Reich (behind which the "Song of Horst Wessel" was performed, which was not officially considered part of the anthem; in 1945 it was banned by the Control Council). The third stanza has been the anthem of the reunified Germany since 1991.

Zanzibar Agreement

In 1890, the so-called Helgoland-Zanzibar Agreement was signed between the German Empire and Great Britain, by which the two powers settled their interests in Africa. According to the treaty, the island in the North Sea went to Germany as compensation for the colonial territories transferred to the British. Soon the military period began in the history of the island. Emperor Wilhelm II ordered to build a naval base here. In the First World War, two large naval battles (the Battle of Helgoland Bay) took place off its coast. During these years, the civilian population was evacuated from the island.

World War II

The Third Reich also planned to build a large base on the island, but they were only partially implemented. By this time, with the development of aviation in particular, the island's strategic importance had diminished. He was almost never raided. Only at the end of the war in April 1945, British aircraft dropped about seven thousand bombs on Heligoland in less than two hours. The island became completely uninhabitable.

In 1947, the most powerful non-nuclear explosion in the history of mankind was carried out on the island. With it, the British military destroyed bunkers and other structures built in the Third Reich for German submarines. At the same time, 4,000 torpedo warheads, 9,000 underwater bombs, 91,000 grenades of various calibers flew into the air - a total of 6,700 tons of explosives. In subsequent years, the British military used the already scarred and deserted island as a training ground for bombing exercises.

After the war

In the 1950s, the former inhabitants of Heligoland launched an international campaign demanding an end to the destruction of their home island. The recipients of the appeals were the new government of Germany, the UN, the British Parliament and even the Pope. At the end of 1950, a group of peaceful activists entered the island, setting up three flags on it - the Federal Republic, the international public European movement, as well as the historical flag of Helgoland. The bold action drew attention to the problem of the island and gave a new impetus to the discussion of its fate. Soon the Bundestag unanimously supported a resolution demanding the return of this territory to Germany, which was done in March 1952. A few years later, the island was rebuilt and it began its new resort and tourist life.

Modernity

Hamburg-based construction businessman Arne Weber has been mulling over the idea of ​​filling in the strait between the main island and the dune for several years. On the territory reclaimed from the North Sea, the businessman proposes to build several hotels, increasing the number of hotel beds by almost three times, as well as to equip a more spacious and comfortable beach. The total investment is estimated at one billion euros. After lengthy discussions, the local authorities decided to abandon the large-scale plans of the Hamburg businessman. Instead, Helgoland intends to modernize the port complex and the sea berth. In turn, Arne Weber called this position short-sighted and expressed the hope that the decision would be reviewed after the municipal elections this autumn. On the island, apparently, they simply do not want to change its appearance again. He had already suffered greatly at the hands of man. Cars and bicycles are prohibited on the island. In a referendum held on June 26, the inhabitants of Heligoland spoke out against the plans of the authorities to increase the territory of the island, Agence France-Presse reports. 1068 people took part in the voting (the turnout was 81.4 percent). 54.7 percent voted "against", 45.3 percent - "for". According to the plan, Helgoland and Dune Island, located a kilometer away, were supposed to be connected by an artificial embankment with a total area of ​​100 hectares (about 30 football fields), on which hotels, marinas and cruise liners were to appear, and a beach was also equipped. A grand project to develop tourism infrastructure was designed to improve the overall economic situation of the island. As AFP notes, Heligoland, located 40 kilometers from the German coast in the North Sea, is threatened with economic stagnation: the number of tourists is decreasing, many residents are leaving the island. Mayor of Heligoland, Joerg Singer, who actively supported the artificial embankment project, said that the results of the referendum in no way negate plans for the further development of the island. According to him, now is the time to consider other opportunities to build up the island territory.

Photos

Born here

• James Crews - children's writer

In culture

• British trip-hop group Massive Attack released an album called Heligoland in 2010.

Notes

Links

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See what "Helgoland" is in other dictionaries:

Helgoland, an island in the North Sea; Germany. German Helgoland (Helgoland) sacred land from other top. German heilag holy, sacred, land land, on the island there was a pagan sanctuary. Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. M... Geographic Encyclopedia

helgoland- (Heligoland), a small island in the North Sea. Initially inhabited by fishermen Frisians G. in 1714 1807. belonged to Denmark, then was captured by the English fleet, from 1815 official. British possession. In 1870, he went to Germany in exchange for ... ... The World History

HELGOLAND- (Helgoland), a rocky island in the German Sea, 70 km from the mouth of the Elbe, belonging to Germany. It has the form of a triangle with steep edges, up to 68 m high, area 0.59 sq. km. From the south V. the sides on the site and on the top of the island are located ... ... Big Medical Encyclopedia

- (Helgoland), an island in the North Sea, a territory of Germany. The area is 0.9 km2. Height up to 56 m * * * HELGOLAND HELGOLAND (Helgoland), an island in the Northern m., territory of Germany The area is 0.9 km2. Height up to 56 m ... encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Helgoland) an island in the North Sea as part of Germany (Schleswig Holstein). Area 0.9 km2. Population 2.9 thousand people (1968). Resort. Inhabited by the Frisians, Germany belonged to the Duchy of Schleswig in 1402 and to Denmark in 1714. In 1807 the island was captured ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

- (Helgoland, in English Heligoland) a small rocky island in the German Sea, belonging to Germany; lies 58 km northwest of Cuxhaven and 56 km from the nearest point of Schleswig and dominates the mouths of the Elbe, Weser and Eider. Island… … Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

- (Helgoland, Heligoland) about in the North. sea. Briton since 1814, colony. As part of Germany since 1890 (now Germany). From 1796, the Hamburg post office worked on the island. In 1866, created its own post office, cat. issue stamps in 1867 79. Since 1875 denominations ... ... Big philatelic dictionary