Utersum
Encyclopedia
Utersum is a municipality on the island of Föhr
, in the district of Nordfriesland
, in Schleswig-Holstein
, Germany
. The municipality includes the hamlet of Hedehusum.
and Sylt
. It is the smallest seaside resort
on Föhr. In Utersum there is a sanitorium that specialises in diseases of the lung
and in oncology
and gynecology.
In the lowlands along the river Godel, plants like salicornia and sea aster
can be found. They thrive on salt marsh
es whose salt content is determined by abundant floodings with sea water. Sea birds like the pied avocet
use to hatch there.
A bus service links the place to the other villages on Föhr and to the town of Wyk
.
s testify of settlements from as early as the Bronze Age
.
As a part of Western Föhr, Utersum belonged to the Danish Enclaves and was thus directly linked to the Danish Kingdom while Eastern Föhr and Wyk adhered to the Duchy of Schleswig
. Only when Denmark
lost Schleswig to Prussia
after the Second Schleswig War in 1864 did Utersum become part of Schleswig-Holstein.
Utersum, Hedehusum and the adjacent municipality of Witsum
were the only ones in Zone II of the Schleswig Plebiscites
in 1920 to vote for Denmark; as they were not directly situated at the border though, they remained with Germany.
(1925–1987). He was made an honorary citizen of the village.
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...
. The municipality includes the hamlet of Hedehusum.
Geography
The village is located between pine woods and dunes in the utmost southwest of Föhr, within the sight of the neighbouring islands 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...
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...
. It is the smallest seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
on Föhr. In Utersum there is a sanitorium that specialises in diseases of the lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
and in oncology
Oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
and gynecology.
In the lowlands along the river Godel, plants like salicornia and sea aster
Aster tripolium
Aster tripolium is a plant of northern Europe that is confined in its distribution to salt marshes, estuaries and occasionally to inland salt works....
can be found. They thrive on salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
es whose salt content is determined by abundant floodings with sea water. Sea birds like the pied avocet
Pied Avocet
The Pied Avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta, is a large black and white wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae. They breed in temperate Europe and western and Central Asia. It is a migratory species and most winter in Africa or southern Asia...
use to hatch there.
A bus service links the place to the other villages on Föhr and to the town of Wyk
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
Three preserved dolmenDolmen
A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
s testify of settlements from as early as the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
.
As a part of Western Föhr, Utersum belonged to the Danish Enclaves and was thus directly linked to the Danish Kingdom while Eastern Föhr and Wyk adhered 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
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...
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...
after the Second Schleswig War in 1864 did Utersum become part of Schleswig-Holstein.
Utersum, Hedehusum and the adjacent municipality of Witsum
Witsum
Witsum is a municipality on the island of Föhr, in the district of Nordfriesland, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.-Geography:Witsum is the smallest village on Föhr. From here one can see the Halligen and Amrum...
were the only ones in Zone II of the Schleswig Plebiscites
Schleswig Plebiscites
The Schleswig Plebiscites were two plebiscites, organized according to section XII, articles 109 to 114 of the Treaty of Versailles of June 28, 1919, in order to determine the future border between Denmark and Germany through the former duchy of Schleswig...
in 1920 to vote for Denmark; as they were not directly situated at the border though, they remained with Germany.
Politics
Since the municipal elections of 2008, the independent FWU holds five seats in the municipality's council, the equally independent UWG holds four.Notable people
Utersum became the favourite resort of entertainer Hans RosenthalHans Rosenthal
Hans Rosenthal was a radio editor, director, and one of the most popular German radio and television hosts of the 1970s and 80s.- Life :...
(1925–1987). He was made an honorary citizen of the village.