From a deserted pirate's nest to a friendly spa
Hörnum is a young village. Not yet a hundred years old, Hörnum was initially a mooring point for bathing ships from Hamburg at the beginning of the 20th century, then an important military base until the 90s, and since then a friendly tourist destination.
THE PIRATE'S NEST
The development of Hörnum was a long time coming. Initially, the southern tip of the island of Sylt was merely a hideout for beachcombers and pirates, before becoming a hub for herring fishing in the 15th century. However, several decades passed before the first fishermen settled here. They built modest huts with roofs thatched with dune stalks and driftwood.
ASCENT WITH THE "COBRA"
The year 1901 is considered a decisive turning point, when a shipping line was established from Hamburg via Heligoland to Hörnum, and a 153-meter-long pier was built specifically for the bathing ships off Hörnum. Imposing bathing ships like the "Cobra" from Hapag (a model of this paddle steamer hangs as a motif in St. Thomas Church) carried up to 2.000 visitors on board. The island railway then continued on to the other Sylt villages—because there were no houses in Hörnum at that time. The train station wasn't built until 1903, the lighthouse in 1907—and it wouldn't be until 1924 before the first private house was built.
SHELTER FOR FISHERMEN AND SHIPWRECKED PEOPLE
In the mid-18th century, a shelter was built in the Hörnum dunes by order of the Sylt governor, where not only fishermen but occasionally shipwrecked sailors sought shelter. Shipwrecks were commonplace at the time: the cargo, which often fell overboard or was plundered under cover of darkness, provided a welcome source of income for the inhabitants of the barren island.
DESERTED AND ORPHANED
A significant era only began with whaling in the Arctic Ocean. In 1780, for example, over a hundred ships were commanded by Sylt captains, despite a population of only 1800. While the island flourished at the end of the 19th century with the advent of tourism, Hörnum remained a largely deserted enclave.
Experience Hörnum's history up close
Hörnum Stories of dunes, steamers and filming
Hörnum used to belong to ghosts and beachcombers. Today, it's a very special place in the south of the island, where film crews regularly visit. And in between? How was it possible for the population to suddenly increase a thousandfold? Where did the large passenger steamers dock? And how did the Kersig settlement, the little Hobbitland, come about? Journalist Wiebke Stitz has lived in Hörnum for twelve years and tells informative and entertaining stories about all these and many more Hörnum stories.
A journey through time in pictures...
...where the island railway still existed and it took four hours to circumnavigate the southern tip.
