Dunsum
Encyclopedia
Dunsum is a municipality located on the western shore of Föhr
in the district of Nordfriesland
, in Schleswig-Holstein
, Germany
. It is composed of the districts of Greater and Lesser Dunsum.
are offered at low tide. Amrum
and Sylt
can be seen from there. In the tidal flats north of the village the Baalkstian is located, a large glacial erratic
, which was destroyed during a storm surge
. The tale has it, that a treasure is hidden below the rock, yet it has never been found.
Bus lines connect Dunsum to the other villages of the island and to the town of Wyk auf Föhr
.
As a part of Westerland Föhr, Dunsum belonged to the Royal Enclaves of Denmark
and thus was a direct part of the Danish crown while Osterland Föhr belonged to the duchy of Schleswig
. Only when Denmark lost Schleswig to Prussia
in the Second Schleswig War, Dunsum became a part of Schleswig-Holstein.
Föhr
Föhr is one of the North Frisian Islands on the German coast of the North Sea. It is part of the Nordfriesland district in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. Föhr is the second-largest North Sea island of Germany....
in the district of Nordfriesland
Nordfriesland
Nordfriesland, English "Northern Friesland" or "North Frisia", is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It includes almost all of traditional North Frisia along with adjacent areas to the east and south and is bounded by the districts of Schleswig-Flensburg and Dithmarschen, the North Sea and...
, in Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It is composed of the districts of Greater and Lesser Dunsum.
Geography and traffic
From Dunsum, guided mudflat hikings to the neighbouring island of AmrumAmrum
Amrum is one of the North Frisian Islands on the German North Sea coast, south of Sylt and west of Föhr. It is part of the Nordfriesland district in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein...
are offered at low tide. Amrum
Amrum
Amrum is one of the North Frisian Islands on the German North Sea coast, south of Sylt and west of Föhr. It is part of the Nordfriesland district in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein...
and Sylt
Sylt
Sylt is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, and well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline. It belongs to the North Frisian Islands and is the largest island in North Frisia...
can be seen from there. In the tidal flats north of the village the Baalkstian is located, a large glacial erratic
Glacial erratic
A glacial erratic is a piece of rock that differs from the size and type of rock native to the area in which it rests. "Erratics" take their name from the Latin word errare, and are carried by glacial ice, often over distances of hundreds of kilometres...
, which was destroyed during a storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
. The tale has it, that a treasure is hidden below the rock, yet it has never been found.
Bus lines connect Dunsum to the other villages of the island and to the town of Wyk auf Föhr
Wyk auf Föhr
Wyk auf Föhr is the only town on Föhr, the second largest of the North Frisian Islands on the German coast of the North Sea. Like the entire island it belongs to the district of Nordfriesland...
.
History
The name means "Donni's settlement".As a part of Westerland Föhr, Dunsum belonged to the Royal Enclaves of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and thus was a direct part of the Danish crown while Osterland Föhr belonged to the duchy of Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
. Only when Denmark lost Schleswig to Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
in the Second Schleswig War, Dunsum became a part of Schleswig-Holstein.