Helgoland Island in the North Sea, or how I lost land for the first time in my life. Heligoland Island: unexplored Germany, which you did not know about See what "Helgoland" is in other dictionaries
Helgoland, Helgoland August 25th, 2008
Heligoland is a tiny piece of land in the North Sea, only a square kilometer. From here you can control the sea routes between England, Denmark, Germany and Holland. The more I learn about him, the more surprised I am. My friends and I went here for a day, but we will definitely be back, at least for a week.
Several historical facts although you may be familiar with them. The island is mentioned by ancient authors, and its settlement took place in the Neolithic - then it was connected with the mainland by a seventy-kilometer spit. The rocks of which Helgoland is composed - coupled with the influence of man, of course - are the island's greatest misfortune.
Helgopalmen
Around 800, during the era of Christianization, Heligoland was about four times the size. Small rivers even flowed on it. By 1330 (large contour on the right) there were no more sources of water left on the island, except for rain and imported water. The sea gradually invaded in the south and north, taking over the limestone quarries. The fact is that it was in the center of the island that the most affordable building material was located. He was even taken to Hamburg, poor in stone. And the development reached the beginning of the 18th century to the point that parts of the island were connected only by a thin bridge. The Christmas storm of 1721 not only devastated, but also "broke" Helgoland into two parts.
dpa
The top photo shows the current state of Helgoland. The lower computer model, looking ahead, is a rather controversial (and expensive) project to save the island. Private investors are offering to fill up the strait formed three hundred years ago, build a passenger terminal for ocean-going ships and turn the island into a resort. Perhaps the decision will be made just about, and we are one of the last guests of Heligoland to see it like this - after natural disasters and destruction by people. Now only small ships can approach here, and the runway for single-engine aircraft is not even on the main landmass, but on a "dune" cut off by water, as the locals call it.
The island belonged to Denmark, then, after the Napoleonic Wars, to England. In 1890, as a result of the settlement of colonial disputes in Africa, Germany bought it for itself. The British did not see the military significance of Heligoland, and the Germans were able to create here by the beginning of the world war a serious naval base. From 1914 to 1918 the local population - about three thousand people - was completely evacuated. Off the coast of the island, two of the largest naval battles of the First World War broke out. After Versailles, military installations and the base of the fleet were destroyed, but the Hitler project Hummerschere“The Crab Claw set out to turn the island into a modern fortress and a menace to England.
You can imagine the scale if you compare my photographs with postcards from a hundred years ago. Before the Second World War, the island, like an anthill, was stuffed with bunkers and mines. Submarine base was hidden under the coastal thickness.
All modern Heligoland is a living wound. Here and there you can find entrances to dilapidated tunnels, as under this coast. Even after the subsequent destruction, about 14 kilometers of underground utilities remained!
This, for example, is not a ledge of rock, but twisted reinforced concrete.
By the end of the war, Heligoland was a lunar landscape. But this was not enough. The British government decided to prevent future military threats. And completely wipe the island off the face of the earth. To do this, according to various sources, from 6 to 20 tons of explosives were laid in bunkers and mines. On April 18, 1947, the most powerful non-nuclear explosion in the history of mankind was carried out here. The island survived, although its topography changed significantly. A lowland formed in the southern part. Part of the coast collapsed. A couple of years after that, the British used Heligoland for military experiments and training bombing.
In 1950, two German students brought a German flag to the island. The Bundestag carefully secured the return of the island to Germany two years later, at the same time pledging not to use it for military purposes.
It is said that after this, many of the original inhabitants returned to Helgoland. Some of them are built quite in the spirit of Frisian architecture.
But most of it is the usual architecture of provincial Germany. Albeit with a twist.
The main source of local income, of course, is tourism.
I testify that guests are comfortable and inexpensive here. In addition, due to its position on the high seas, the island (it is not formally a member of the European Union!) is a duty-free zone.
It's hard not to notice. By the way, European tourists set off on their way back laden with alcohol and cigarettes... Surprisingly, the control at the exit is quite symbolic.
Another historic retreat. In the Middle Ages (someone will add, during the Little Ice Age), the warm current brought so many fish to the shores of Heligoland that up to three thousand fishermen went out into the pool at the same time! By the beginning of the New Age, fish had practically disappeared, and the population was forced to leave or look for other sources of income. One of them was the cultivation of oysters. But Prussian military base By the end of the 19th century, it took away convenient areas with oyster farms from the locals. The well-being of the inhabitants increased dramatically during the continental blockade of Napoleon - the island became largest center smuggling - but did not last long ... Unenviable history of the people. Disasters, catastrophes, wars.
Some of the current inhabitants are now engaged in navigation and maintenance of sea routes.
Therefore, if you need something - ask, they will surely show you.
About the nature of Helgoland one could talk a lot and pompously.
"Long Anna" is one of the most famous natural monuments in Europe. The height of the rock is 47 meters.
wikipedia
In prehistoric times, the sea washed in here an arch like the one in the photo on the left. In 1860, it could not withstand the pressure of the sea and collapsed, forming a separate rock, first called "The Monk". The destruction increased, and already in 1903, the filling of soil and the construction of a dam began below. This slowed down the erosion, but in our time "Anna" is under threat again. The cracks are growing. The rock can, in fact, collapse at any moment.
Oh yes, Anna was the name of a lanky waitress in a nearby cafe on the eve of the First World War. Nothing else is known about the girl.
The rocks of the island are a real paradise for birds.
In the twentieth century, gannets settled here. Relatives of pelicans, by the way.
Here they have both love and a kindergarten.
Nests are made of algae and everything that floats in the sea. A lot of rags, scraps of nets.
On the eighteen square meters of the top of the "Long Anna" there is also a bird market and, by the way, for this reason, the smallest nature reserve in the world.
View to the northeast and the dune.
Below is also a lot of surprises.
The runway goes nowhere - everything that survived from the military airfield.
Pebbles on the shore, half a century after the war, are still mixed with run-in brick.
We wandered here with Vanya
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.
History
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, Helgoland 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. 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. Overall volume 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 port complex and sea pier. 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". In accordance with the plan, Heligoland and the island of Dune, located a kilometer from it, were supposed to be connected by an artificial embankment with total area 100 hectares (approximately 30 football fields) on which hotels, marinas and cruise liners and equipped with a beach. Huge development project tourism infrastructure was intended 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.
Photo
Born here
- James Crews - children's writer
In culture
- British trip-hop group Massive Attack released an album called Heligoland in 2010.
Notes
Links
| Cities and towns of the Pinneberg district (Schleswig-Holstein) - Kreis Pinneberg | ||
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Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .
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. place names World: Toponymic Dictionary. M... Geographic Encyclopedia
helgoland- (Heligoland), 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 in. the sides on the site and on the upper part 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 Frisians, G. from 1402 belonged to the Duchy of Schleswig, and from 1714 to Denmark. 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 to northwest from Kukshaven 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
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.
To start reference 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 Helgoland 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 Heligoland
Harbor and resort houses
Finally, to my great joy, Heligoland appeared on the horizon. Its landscape is crowned by 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 didn’t give anyone anything, because, firstly, I didn’t have any food, and secondly, it’s not good to corrupt the inhabitants wildlife.
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. With the marine flora and fauna of Helgoland and in general North Sea I met 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 on this tiny piece sushi 7 thousand bombs. 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 with the dwarf Hans-in-a-knot, who has lost her home on the island, comes to visit on a small boat. 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 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)
German island Heligoland December 7th, 2013
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 some 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 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 geographic location Helgoland has always played a prominent role in 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 as 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 trap the cold create truly beautiful weather. This is the sunniest warm place in Germany: even in winter, the temperature does not drop below 10 °C, which makes it possible to grow here heat-loving plants, such as figs. The two long, magnificent beaches of the neighboring islet Dune with fine sand resemble caribbean with palm trees leaning over the turquoise sea - a heavenly place for swimming.
Helgoland is an ideal choice not only for those who dream of plunging into 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
Heligoland 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 have vacationed here. famous people that time. 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 German. 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.
Located 40 kilometers from the German coast. The population of the village of the same name is 1149 people (2010). The area of the islands of Helgoland and Dune is 1.7 km².
The islands are part of the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein, but are not included in the customs and tax territory of the European Union. In fact, the islands are a small offshore zone within the European Union.
Heligoland 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.
Language
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.
History
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 the UK.
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.
In 1890, the so-called Helgoland-Zanzibar Agreement was signed between the German Empire and Great Britain, with the help of 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.
Soon the military period began in the history of the island. Emperor Wilhelm II ordered to build a naval base here. During the First World War, two large naval battles took place off its coast. During these years, the civilian population was evacuated from the island.
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, in particular, of aviation, the strategic importance of the island had decreased. 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.
In the 1950s, the former inhabitants of Heligoland launched an international campaign demanding an end to the destruction of their home island. The addressees 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, and the historical flag of Heligoland. 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.
