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© Ralf Meyer l Sylt Marketing

Naturally Sylt

The island at night

The magic of 
Darkness

The Winter nights on Sylt grosse Kraft and whoever discovers it for themselves, loves its magic. Sylt Storm Week (January 18 to 26) offers ample opportunity to experience the long island nights in all their facets. Night edition of “Naturally Sylt” We have portrayed people who work when everyone is asleep, photographing the Northern Lights, pampering guests, baking bread, and rescuing people in distress at sea. Of course, we also took a look at Sylt's nightlife. The great constant in Sylt's darkness are the five lighthouseswhich we present and to which we assign the interviews, films and reports.

© Holm Löffler
In the light cone of the Lister lighthouses 
© Ralf Meyer

  • The white one of the Twin Towers from Ellenbogen is also the northernmost building in Germany. 

List-West

Small but powerful

The little white one - the first lighthouse when you pass the toll station at Lister Ellenbogen - perfectly serves the idyll. It can claim a superlative for itself: The 11,3 metersr high tower with a fire height of 19 meters, is the northernmost building in GermanyAnd there are two more on top of that, which the west tower shares with its brother further east: The two Lister lighthouses are the oldest on the west coast and the first in Germany made of cast iron, bolted plates.

The Lister beacons were 1857 on behalf of Danish king The ship was built by the ship's owner, who was the "boss" on Sylt at the time. The construction was Denmark's response to the large number of stranded merchant ships that the beach wardens in northern Sylt had to report in the mid-19th century. The Sylt seaways, not least the Lister Tief, remain a challenge to this day.

The twins were commissioned in 1858. Since 1977, the orientation lights have been remotely controlled – not very romantically. Another small downer: They are not open to the public. As a small consolation, a few details for those with a penchant for technology: The optics consist of a ground belt lens with a focal length of 280 mm and a height of 85 cm. Light provide per tower two metal halide lamps - one performs the night shift, the other is available as a reserve for all eventualities.

The East Fire

Postcard idyll
deluxe

13 meters higher The East Lighthouse sits enthroned on the dune. Exactly 2.700 meters of dune landscape lie between the two. This tower, too, was initially plain white, but later received a red belly band for better identification. It, too, can only be admired from a distance. Especially from nature conservation reasonsAnd because at its feet lies a rather defiant and very private thatched-roof property (see also column), which dates back to the 50s much smaller was and in the past also a Lighthouse keepers as home served. 

© Holm Loeffler

  • When the noise of the world falls silent.
© Holm Loefller

Conni and Thomas Diedrichsen

Hermitage on the Elbow

The only ones on the four square kilometers large elbow directly opposite the most photographed lighthouse-house ensemble, are Conni and Thomas DiedrichsenThey love winter with its long, dark, and peaceful nights, when little more than the glow of lighthouses breaks the darkness. They are here Your HostsThey look after nature and the sheep. They are also part of the Listland community of approximately 40 owners and take on responsibility on a voluntary basis. 

Connis Papa Petje bought a building in the 60s belonging to the “Biological Institute Heligoland" on the elbow and turned it into a restaurant. The "young" Diedrichsens have lived in the northernmost part of the island for almost 2,5 decades and raised their two boys here. Their next Local neighbors live ten kilometers away. There hasn't been a restaurant here for a long time. Conni and Thomas Diedrichsen offer House “Uthörn” Holiday Apartments: Who wants total peace and Power of the Sylt Night want to feel, is exactly right here.

  • The challenge of opening the heart to visitors of the Ellenbogen and guests and yet preserving the sensitive natural site, describe the two here.
     

The Lighthouse Keeper of Norway

Adventure with vision

Thomas Bickhardt knows all about endless winter nights by the rough sea. When you know that he spent several years on a 42,5 meter high cliff on a small island in the western cape of Norway as lighthouse keeper lived and worked there for a total of 25 years, entirely of his own free will, because in his early 30s he was realizing a lifelong dream, then one would have expected a fair amount more eccentricity from him. But that's the way it is with expectations, fortunately. They are often dismantled, and a new picture is allowed to emerge. And saying goodbye to reservations is one of Thomas Bickhardt's favorite topics. We had the Glück in advance of his reading at the “Sylt Storm Week”* to speak with the Hamburg psychologist, photographer, ship mechanic and bon vivant.

What comes after a life in a lighthouse where even going to the mailbox on stormy days can become an adventure?
Thomas Bickhardt: I now live in Hamburg, very purist, happy, and enthusiastic about city life. I don't need it to be so rough anymore. I carry everything I've experienced within me. My life's dream is different now. Just as a small example, I enjoy meeting people every single day, on walks and in everyday life. With my book "Windstärke 15," I want to encourage people to pursue their own dreams and make them come true—no matter how wild or exotic they may seem.

Do you believe in ghosts at night?
Thomas Blickhardt: Absolutely. There were some there at my lighthouse, in an outbuilding. I'm sure of it. But you don't have to approach them with fear and anxiety. They disappeared at some point after a renovation.

You say you don't miss the life of a lighthouse keeper; that you've simply experienced adventure, danger, magic, and wildness intensely enough. What impressed you about the nights in Norway?
Thomas Blickhardt: You can learn to love the intense darkness of winter in Norway. It envelops and sharpens your perception. And, of course, there were also many epic nights at the lighthouse or when I went out on the boat. With the Northern Lights or the Milky Way in the west. Sometimes, I even enjoyed lying in the dirt in storms, darkness, and bad weather, waiting forever for the right moment to take my photos. That, too, was allowed to change and wouldn't be for me today.

© Thomas Bickhardt l Bickfoto

With their return from Norway a year ago, they also offer encouragement that even big ideas can change, perhaps leading to something entirely new. Their current mission is a symbol of how even entrenched behavior can be reversed. Not least by becoming aware of the processes involved...

Thomas Bickhardt: That’s right. I have TILLIT Institute I founded the Seasickness Foundation and teach courses against seasickness. I also train other therapists to help even more people suffering from seasickness.

Fascinating. One can free oneself from the worst nausea on a rocking sea? How does that work?
Thomas Bickhardt: The brain—in every person—has to switch to seasickness mode to compensate for the movements on the water. This process is very complex and sometimes takes days. During this time, the body reacts with symptoms of seasickness. Those affected sometimes suffer so much that they are truly traumatized. But you can learn to immediately switch to seasickness mode and become seaworthy. In my courses, we become aware of the underlying processes and practice the "seasickness principle" with very specific exercises. Even severely affected professional seafarers can become seaworthy again and continue practicing their profession.

© Thomas Bickhardt l Bickfoto
I love the strength and peace of the night. If I can't sleep at night, I just get up and do a little work.
Thomas Bickhardt

This is certainly a lengthy process. What is the success rate?
Thomas Bickhardt: 80 percent of course participants are able to leave their seasickness behind forever. The seminar lasts only 4,5 hours.

This issue of this dossier is called "Sylt by Night." So the question is, are you even familiar with Sylt's night?
Thomas Blickhardt: Crazy, but I actually don't know Sylt at all, only the cliché, and I'm therefore very excited about the new experience.

What you have a lot of experience with, however, are very, very long winter nights on an island in northern Norway. Are you afraid of the night?
Thomas Blickhardt: No, not at all. I love the strength and peace of the night. If I can't sleep at night, I just get up and do a little work. Taking the drama out of things and staying relaxed when you can't sleep helps.

You're a traveler. You're fascinated by the psychology underlying travel. You researched it during your studies. What motivates people to travel?
Thomas Blickhardt: There are a variety of reasons, including social ones, but above all the eternal hope that life will be better and easier somewhere else. Interestingly, many people travel only to have their prejudices confirmed. My advice always: Throw away all the travel guides, travel with an open mind, and live without reservations!

You seem to have the gift of being able to let go of even the big things in life…
Thomas Blickhardt: I do like a few things about Buddhism, even though I'm not at all religious. An old Zen saying goes: "If you meet Buddha on the way, kick him in the butt, because then you've gone the wrong way!" Even as a student, I liked the Buddhist principle of not clinging, letting go of things, and overcoming them. This makes it possible to be completely in the moment.

*Thomas Bickhardt will be reading on Tuesday, January 21st, at 18.30:XNUMX pm at “Onkel Johnny`s” on 
Wenningstedt beach from his book “Wind force 15”. Everything about the winter Sylt adventure week

About the book Wind Force 15
© Thomas Bickhardt l Bickfoto
© Ralf Meyer
In the light cone of the Kampen lighthouses 

The cross-mark light

Isn't it sweet?

Only a few properties in the barren Sylt landscape offer a more prominent motif than the Kampen cross-mark light. The small tower itself has not been lit for a long time, but is stylishly illuminated from the outside at night. Twelve meters high, octagonal, made of brick, commissioned in 1913, retired in 1974. After its decommissioning, the municipality of Kampen rented its small landmark for ten marks monthly from the country, in order to then buy it for relatively little money and to regularly maintain it with the help of donations.

Despite its compact stature, the small lighthouse exudes pure grandeur. Like its big brother, the "Lange Christian" in the south of the village, the cross-mark light served Orientation. Today, it may no longer be a landmark for sailors, but it is for islanders and their guests. And this is almost more so in a figurative than in a geographical sense. The "little one" is an individualist in a village that, in its genesis, magical attraction to people with individual, colorful life plans. 

© Dominik Täuber

  • There is probably no perspective from which the Kampen cross-mark light has not already been staged.
© Ralf Meyer

Ralf Meyer photographs

Northern lights, shooting stars and the Milky Way

Ralf Meyer lives “directly across” from Kampen. On the mainland. In Neukirchen. His adopted home. The photographer likes the Silence and originality There on the North Frisian plain, right on the border. From there, he usually sees when it's time to grab his equipment and take the train to Sylt, the 20-minute commute to "work." His own forecasts, based on his mega-weather experience as a former surf instructor, are brilliant. His "Prophecies" through technology. Ralf Meyer knows the best Weather and astro apps, knows when and where the northern lights or the Milky Way are best seen, when most shooting stars are to be expected and when noctilucent ice clouds create a mystical magic in the Sylt night sky. 

"I love observing nature—at sea, in the sky, on land. Magical moments when I manage to capture special phenomena. Sometimes, though, I simply keep the images in my heart."

Especially for night photography, he recommends the northern stretches of beach. "The least light pollution on Sylt, however, can be found at the Hörnum Tetrapods and the List nudist beach," says Meyer, who knows the island like the backs of his hand. He passionately shares his knowledge, technical skills, and even the best spots: He goes out with photography enthusiasts and, if necessary, lets professional colleagues in on the secrets of capturing the island's magic. "I only go out with individuals or in small groups," is Meyer's motto for his tours, especially at night. If you are interested, you can find out more here:

Read more

But now to the Northern lights, which will be intensely visible in the northern sky for the next two years. Then, the magnificent night spectacle, which was particularly popular in autumn 2024, will be over for ten years. Northern lights (or "aurora") occur when electrically charged particles of the solar wind They hit the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere. There, they stimulate the existing air molecules to glow. The visibility of the aurora is determined by the so-called KP index. The higher the value, the further south the northern lights can be observed. On clear nights, at a strength of KP 5 and above, the northern lights can be seen with the naked eye. Below this value, they can only be seen through the lens of a camera. Here are predictions.
 

The way food is Milky Way photography is an art in itself. Astronomy apps help. And Ralf Meyer with his knowledge. "In our latitudes, the Milky Way is visible in the south to west during the summer months. Now you're more likely to find happiness in the west to north." And then there are the noctilucent clouds or noctilucent ice clouds (NLC), which inspire Ralf Meyer. "This is a very rare weather phenomenon, a spectacle – sometimes observed northward on Sylt in June and July. The noctilucent ice clouds stand silvery white, sometimes bluish, on the horizon. They consist of ice crystals, are illuminated by the sun, and reflect the light.

  • © Ralf Meyer
  • © Ralf Meyer
  • © Ralf Meyer
  • © Ralf Meyer
© Ralf Meyer

  • Where darkness reigns, miracles can shine.

Night hike + fondue 

= Experience

At a location like the “Kaamps 7” On Kampen's main beach, it's difficult to simply have a cup of coffee. Not that there aren't all kinds of coffees available here in this wooden stilt house with its round bay window: But the breathtaking natureSomehow every drink becomes a revelation. Host Christina Böckmann focuses more on this effect with a concept that focuses on the moment of experience and the darkness of the winter night. 

"My husband and I love the mountain hut culture. It inspired us."

The small hut production à la Kampen now goes like this: Those who have registered for the small night hike will be picked up personally by the landlady at "Haus Kliffende". There is also a Lantern for each guest, which illuminates the path through the dunes. Along the way, Christina Böckmann tells fascinating stories about the buildings the hiking group passes, about the lighthouse, about Kampen and its people. "No long lectures. It's just a short stroll - garnished with interesting facts," says the restaurateur modestly. Upon arrival at "Kaamps 7," a lavish fondue with plenty of fresh delicacies awaits the guests. "It's wonderful to see how the experience creates a connection between people," says Christina Böckmann, pleased that her idea has worked.

Other dates

The “Long Christian” ensures…

Nighttime
Enlightenment

The beauty contest of the Sylt lighthouses He would probably win: Just because of his look. Because white with a black band - that's something only very few lighthouses worldwide can boast. Until 1953, the “Long Christian” still mouse-grey - old postcards attest to this. But of course, it has always had elegant proportions. Its location between mudflats and waves on the green meadow is also quite exotic for a lighthouse. The black and white Galloway herd at its feet adds a special touch to the idyll. crown .

Above all, the “Long Christian” radiates meditative energy, as attested by those who spend the whole year in its Cone of light live and can see him from their garden. Farmer Runkel, the last remaining farmer in the village (he has the best potatoes), lives in the vicinity of the "Long Christian" and is happy that his robust, black and white Galloway breed matches the tower so well.

But now to the lighthouse facts: In 1853, the Danish Crown, to which Sylt belonged, ordered the construction of a lighthouse made of Bornhom clinker brick on a higher point on the island, to secure the entrance to the Lister Tief, together with the Lister lighthouses. Even today, the lighthouse bears the monogram of the then Danish King Frederik VII.

The Kampen lighthouse was built for wide visibility on the Geest core of the island, is 40 meters high and belongs to the species Orientation beacon Its original name was “Red Cliff”The technology initially built, a petroleum-powered lighting device, was a revolution at the time and was therefore World Exhibition of Paris 1855 The "Lange Christian" was not put into service until 1856. Unlike today, it was open to visitors in its early years and was one of the top tourist destinations. In 1929, the tower was converted to electric operation, and the light was powered by a light bulb. Like all formerly active beacons, it has been remotely controlled since 1977.

© Ralf Meyer

  • A rare find: dreamy snow flurry at the "Langer Christian".

The tower was listed as a historical monument in 1974. A sociable event in the history of the Black and Whites was the celebration of the 150th anniversary in June 2006: The municipality of Kampen held an XXL festival in front of the tower in its honor. At that time, visitors could also win a tour, climb the 159 steps, and enjoy a truly magnificent view.

© Club Rotes Kliff

Sylt Nightlife

The legend lives on

In the past there was definitely more Blade and everything is much better, wilder, more glittering: Sylt suffers in some places from the nostalgia perspective, and often quite unjustly. Regarding nightlife, however, it can be stated as neutrally as possible that there used to be many very special nightlife spots on the small northern island, and that, for example, from the 70s to the early 2000s, it was considerably easier to arrive home at dawn. Elegantly blended into the Nightlife spots those decades different generations and scenes. "High End" always had that charming, village-like feel. That hasn't changed to this day, for example.

And now? Don't panic: You can still have a great time at night on Sylt: The “Club Rotes Kliff” in Kampen will celebrate its 2025th anniversary in 45. “Grandmaster PK”, aka Peter Kliem, plays with unbroken enthusiasm - supported by a group of young DJs. Young directors and an even longer tradition have "Pony". In Westerland there are also a dozen lively pubs ("Alt Berlin", "Irish Pub", "Gatz Beer Bar", "Monkeys Bar" and much more), the chicest hotel bars ever (“Hotel Stadt Hamburg”, “Miramar”) and designated clubs such as the "Wonderful" and “Provocative”.

Here are a few names to let the nostalgic disco light shine into the winter night. We remember: the "KC" - the Kleist Casino, the best queer club ever // full moon nights at the "Bambus Bar" // dancing on the bar of the "Village" or the "Lola" in Kampen (incidentally, the village of villages had a 1 a.m. closing time for a long time) // dancing on the dance floor at the incredible "Kliffkieker" in Wenningstedt or on the rotating dance floor at the "Tivoli" // the decades at the "American," first upstairs and downstairs, then only in the bistro // the truly rustic "Crazy Island Club" // "Tommy's Music Café" // dancing at the "Salon 1900" in Keitum // "Badezeit" and so many other nightlife spots

But the best for last: On Saturday, January 18, the possibly most legendary club will be awakened from its slumber as part of the “Sylt Storm Week”. “Purple Wonder” is located in the basement of the “Hotel Roth”. "Galaxy" will leave even disco cosmopolitans breathless. It starts at 19 p.m. and celebrates the latest trend on the urban scene: A party bingo evening with the “Bingo Gringos Ben & Max”. Tickets are available here (Unfortunately already sold out). But it doesn't have to be the last time the "galaxy" is kissed awake. 

  • © Maike Rudloff
  • © Imke Wein
  • © Club Rotes Kliff
  • © Imke Wein
  • © Imke Wein
  • © Club Rotes Kliff

Stefan Lakomy is a night porter at the “Severin*s Resort & Spa”

No way sleepy!

Midwives, doormen, police officers, the DRK rescue crew, bakers, the night shift at the North Sea Clinic: Among the dozen or so classic night jobs on a holiday island is that of doormen. Stefan Lakomy belongs to this species. Serious and perfectly formed, it stands in the Keitum "Severin*s Resort & Spa"From 22.30:XNUMX p.m. behind the flower-decorated reception desk. Except Mondays and Tuesdays. He's off then. 

“My goal? To offer that little extra service beyond what our guests can expect,” is how he interprets his task.

What his guests need at night falls under the very least of the duty of discretion: preparing the bill for the early departure in the morning, moving the car to the underground garage, having a nice nightcap in the XXL seating area in the lobby serve when the bar has already closed. Kind words Finding a place to stay when night owls arrive is standard practice. It's rarer that medical advice or even emergency services need to be called. 

© Imke Wein
© Severins Resort and Spa I Tom Kohler

He is rarely awake at night in the elegant resort, which resembles a Frisian village. Laying his head on the chic bar to snooze – like in a movie scene? That doesn't happen either. Stefan Lakomy has to prepare the back office as well as the arrivals and departures for the next day. After the restaurants and bar close, he and his colleagues ensure the smooth completion of the daily accounts. In winter, he tends the fireplace and prepares the hotel newspaper for publication the next day. In the early morning hours, a cleaning team ensures Cleanliness in the lobbyThen the breakfast service arrives. Stefan Lakomy has listed each guest's special requests and needs for his colleagues. "Around two o'clock, when the house is at its quietest, I might watch something like 'Tagesthemen' during my break. But twiddling my thumbs – that's not an option for me. And that's a good thing."

Stefan Lakomy's shift begins at 22.30:7 p.m. and lasts until XNUMX a.m. Careful handovers are included. When he comes home in the morning, he has a hearty breakfast with his wife Sonja. She knows night work as trained midwife from her own experience. Today, however, she furnishes holiday properties and hotels on Sylt and Mallorca. The company "Lakomy facility" The couple founded the company together three years ago.

Before Stefan allows himself a bit of sleep in the morning, the two discuss business matters. Eight hours at a time – he rarely manages that. Despite the night shift, Lakomy regularly manages to get to the Danish minority to train. Switching to the classic day-night rhythm on his days off would be too stressful for his body. That only makes sense for him during the holidays. Stefan Lakomy has studied the topic in depth to prepare himself for a healthy form of night work. "But the body always wants to go back to nighttime sleep. That's the case for everyone. The question is just how well you can trick it," says Lakomy, who seems to be doing an excellent job of doing this.

© Julia Lund
In the light cone of the Hörnum lighthouse 
© Peter Bender

  • The Hörnum star bathing in the “Magic Forest”.

The lighthouse in Hörnum

Majestic in all directions

The Luminosity of the Hörnum Tower, which with its 33 meters height and its position in the village (it stands on a 17 meter high dune) serves the function of landmark like no other on the island. Above all, it serves as a navigational aid and as a marker for the fairway between the southern tip and Amrum.
The “Unique selling point” of the red and white picture-book lighthouse? You can see it several times from March and then throughout the summer visit weekly. If you call the "Hörnum Tourism Service" The ticket sales information even has its own phone line: The desire to enjoy the panoramic view over the island, the mainland, Amrum, Föhr, and even the Halligen islands is evidently immense. The viewing platform with its circular balcony under the lantern provides breathtaking moments.

Until recently, the tower served the Sylt Registry Office on its sixth floor also serves as an outdoor location for those saying "I do" without feeling dizzy. At the height of the white stripe, the "Sea Fire of the First Order" has such a respectable diameter that it served as a warning to the children of Hörnum from 1 to 1914 - before Hörnum became militarily relevant and the size of the town multiplied due to soldiers and their families moving there. as the smallest classroom in Germany The last lighthouse keeper retired in the 70s: Since 1977, the tower has been controlled by the Waterways and Shipping Authority in Tönning. The Hörnum lighthouse is almost identical in construction to the towers in Büsum, Pellworm, and Westerheversand.

For real lighthouse nerds here are some lighting details

Lighthouse tour

Günter without the h

The hero of the Hörnum night

When Günter Jürgensen When he sips his first morning coffee and then leaves the apartment, Hörnum is in a deep sleep. Probably the only person with him is the doorman of the “Hotel Budersand” on his feet and maybe a few sleepless people. Because it is two hours past midnight. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later, he walks the few meters down the dune - depending on the season and the expected rush at Baker LundThe lighthouse has illuminated his path for decades.

"We used to have a few pubs in the village with a real nightlife. 'Aunt Jens' was such a legend."* In the harbor, when I go to work, there is little activity, sometimes with the mussel fishermenI like the silence. But it's only five minutes to the bakery," says the Flensburg native, chatting excessively for his standards. For 4,5 decades, Günter ("We didn't have any money for the H") has been the journeyman in the Hörnum bakeryThe emphasis is on “the.” Because watching his hands handling ingredients, dough and ovens is like watching a art performanceGünter himself makes the whole night Magicwho's in the room while he's working, doesn't make such a fuss. Onlookers in the bakery are more of a nuisance than a gratification to his ego. “I simply love my job”, he will say, while showing apprentice Quinlan how Danish pastry is transformed into “Bürgermeister” (“You have to try it! The best piece of cake in the north”).

In the early morning hours, Günter is alone with himself, the songs on NDR1, the large ovens, the dough and all the individual work steps that make up the organic bread and the Rolls from Baker Lund become objects of island-wide desire. 

"In the beginning, Jens and I tinkered around until we converted all the recipes to organic quality. Now we're doing it perfectly. But we're happy to keep experimenting."

Says the man with the forearm width that Comic sailor “Popeye” “Günter was sent from heaven,” the Senior boss Dieter Lund say if he were there. Günter says: "The Flensburg employment office is to blame." Günter is one of ten siblings in a working-class family in Flensburg. He describes his childhood as "warm, but rustic." After school, he first helped his "dad with the horses" before training to be a baker. 

© Melina Moersdorf
© Melina Moersdorf

And then, over four decades ago, Hörnum happened to him. He found his Appeal, his second family and home in a place “at the end of nowhere”. With Junior boss Jens, who as a chef with international experience in Michelin-starred kitchens Günter is great at constantly evolving the quality standards of the bakery, confectionery, and kitchen. In the case of the two men, that means largely silently. Jens Lund also comes into the bakery every morning. A few hours after Günter, but with the apprentice, the confectionery team, and other helping hands. With enough time, in any case, to have the magnificent range ready for the shop opening. When everything is in place and the preparations are complete around 10 a.m., Günter calls it a day. In the evening, he'll stop by again to check "whether all the doughs are rising well!" There's no stopping him anyway. He's not a particularly good sleeper, either.

The death of his wife Gerti last September hasn't necessarily improved his sleep routine. Gerti also worked for the Lunds for decades, in the shop. Günter's son Daniel is also part of the staff: he's a chef. "I have to rediscover myself after Gerti's death," says Günter, defining his mission for 2025. Jens Lund's initial concern that his journeyman might decide to retire in a few years is immediately dispelled by Günter: "I'll definitely continue working part-time. What would I do without my job? Everything's in perfect shape except for my knee." 
As this magazine is published, Günter is facing a real challenge: The Lunds are taking their winter vacation. "Oh, I can manage that. I could renovate my house," is Günter's plan for the holiday weeks. Maybe he'll even get some sleep at night, and in Hörnum, only the lighthouse will be doing its job.

*"Aunt Jens" on Rantumer Straße was one of those quaint phenomena of Sylt's nightlife. The cabaret artist from the queer scene left Hörnum in 2009 and opened a new cabaret-drag show-disco of the same name on Norderney. He died in July 2024 amidst widespread media sympathy.

Everything about Lund Bakery and the philosophy behind it:

 

Lund Sylt
  • © Melina Moersdorf
  • © Melina Moersdorf
  • © Melina Moersdorf
  • © Melina Moersdorf

Bank clerk Melanie Schneider 

Shaped for rescue

When it comes to "rescue at night," one probably first thinks of the full-time crew of the sea rescue cruiser "Pidder Lüng" in List harbor. Almost four years ago, a Sylt baby was even born on board one night because no helicopter was available.* Perhaps the crew will tell this breathtaking rescue story and much more when, on January 20th at 15.30:XNUMX p.m., on the occasion of the “Sylt Storm Week” “open ship” on the “Pidder Lüng”. 

*More about this true story here

Since our digital dossier on Sylt's nighttime activities has become heavily male-dominated, we looked for a woman in the rescue service and met Melanie Schneider in Hörnum harbor on the "Horst Heiner Kneten" (named after a donor) – the somewhat smaller sea rescue boat of the German Sea Rescue Service (DGzRS) in the southern part of the island. A Sylt native to whom one can take off all the hats in the world.

6 questions for the sea rescuer

I had no idea that the sea rescue boat in Hörnum is staffed exclusively by volunteer rescuers who risk their lives for others. No one is on board all the time. You only come in case of an emergency, right?
Melanie Schneider: Exactly. We're alerted via an app. Since I live in Hörnum and am usually the first one in the harbor, I get everything ready to leave so we can leave as quickly as possible once the boat captain and the colleague from the center of the island arrive.

You're also involved with the volunteer fire department in Hörnum. Does that leave any time for a paid job?
Melanie Schneider: Of course, there's still time! It's all a matter of a well-managed calendar to plan shifts properly. My husband is also a sea rescuer. One of the permanent employees, stationed on Heligoland. He has two weeks on and two weeks off. When he's off, he sometimes does shifts with the German Red Cross (DRK) rescue service on Sylt. Then there are always our training courses, continuing education, and advanced training. But yes: there's still time for vacation. And for normal, everyday things. My full-time job is the opposite of adventurous. I'm a bank clerk and work at Deutsche Bank in Westerland. People in my family like to assume that I was very orderly, even a perfectionist, even as a child. That has to be practiced somehow, and it also benefits me as a rescuer.
 

© The Sea Rescuers – DGzRS l Kilian Westphal

Everything related to nighttime rescue missions can be found under one roof at your home. It's clear that your decision to serve on the high seas also has something to do with family backgrounds...
Melanie Schneider: That's right. My father went to sea. I was born in Kiel. My father later transferred to Hörnum to work at customs. He was also a volunteer sea rescuer. Thanks to him, I'm also familiar with the night shifts. I went to Hörnum elementary school with a view of the harbor, I love water sports, and I absolutely love swimming in the surf. I've been a member of the Hörnum youth fire brigade since I was ten. There, no one will be surprised if I also hold the position of treasurer, and I always enjoy new specializations. Here in the south of the island, we also have two firefighters who, as paramedics, are the first on the scene in an emergency. Because in Hörnum, it takes a little longer for the ambulance to arrive. I would enjoy that too, but then it might all get a bit much.

© The Sea Rescuers – DGzRS

If your sea rescue app sounds an alarm during the day or at night, what kind of missions could be waiting for you?
Melanie Schneider: So, accidents involving ships of all kinds—we naturally work closely with the DGzRS stations in List and Amrum. Or swimmers or water sports enthusiasts in dangerous situations.

Tell us about a real nighttime mission that was quite challenging…
Melanie Schneider: That was last summer, for example. It was already dark. We were alerted because swimmers had gotten into trouble in Rantum. The wind was fierce, and we were barely making any progress. The waves off the southern tip were literally three meters high. It took us an hour, and we hadn't even gotten around the tip yet. Our colleagues from Lister were ahead of us on the west side of Rantum. We had to abort. Luckily, it was a false alarm, and no one was hurt. Once, in the dark, we were called to the east side of Rantum because what were supposedly red rescue rockets had been spotted. There was a strong wind, and we were out for hours with the help of searchlights. A helicopter was also deployed. But we didn't find anyone. Apparently, someone had mistaken the light from the wind turbines for a rescue rocket and raised the alarm. But of course, we'd rather go out too often than let someone drown.

Are you afraid of danger or even death during an operation?
Melanie Schneider: No, I'm not afraid of dying. I almost drowned once while surfing in Tenerife. I dealt with the trauma so that nothing would remain. What I do have, however, is the fear of the death of my loved ones, and I have respect for danger, which I do, of course.

You are a true everyday hero. Thank you for your commitment.

Melanie Schneider is also the public face of the DGzRS, which is funded entirely by donations, and played a role in the Santiano video for the song “Retter”: 

© The Sea Rescuers – DGzRS

The Sea Rescuers
on Sylt 

in numbers

In 2023, the DGzRS station in Hörnum recorded three missions, and List recorded 39. In total, 2023 people were rescued from imminent danger by sea rescuers on Sylt in 48. The figures for 2024 will follow in a few weeks. The vast majority of the approximately 1.000 sea rescuers in Germany are volunteers. Only about 180 in the larger, 60-hour units are permanently employed by the DGzRS. In total, the DGzRS maintains around 55 rescue units at 2.000 stations between the island of Borkum in the west and the Pomeranian Bay in the east, carrying out XNUMX missions annually. The German Sea Rescue Association (DGzRS) has its headquarters in Bremen and finances its work exclusively through voluntary donations. www.seenotretter.de

Lots of exciting things Film footage of the Lister Sea Rescuers can be found here.
And to the Hörnum crew here.

The Sea Rescuers
3  Appearances

in Hörnum

39  Appearances

in List

48  Persons

freed from imminent danger

1000  Sea rescuers in Germany

Most as volunteers

The lighthouse by day and by night
Opinions

by Imke Wein

A woman stands on a wooden walkway, smiling at the camera.
© Nicole Mai
00:00

If you've lived on Sylt for decades, you know every stone along the island's roads personally and are guaranteed to have some connection to the five lighthouses that goes beyond countless walks basking in their glow. "Naturally Sylt" author Imke Wein's best-of-Sylt lighthouse moments are these:

 

Cocktail under the eastern fire

My three children have three fathers. The father of my eldest daughter is Matthias Kraemer, the founder of the "Meerkabarett" (Sea Cabaret). His family owned the Property under the East Light on the elbow. His mother was a woman who would have made an excellent protagonist in a Thomas Mann novel. This very cultured lady also enjoyed celebrating her summer retreat alone in this enormous house in a unique location. Her husband was an architect and, immediately after the war, had realized his dream of a house under the lighthouse with his family, gradually expanding the originally small cottage to the size it still has today. I lived in List at the time and enjoyed visiting Inge Kraemer on summer evenings. 
What a sublime feeling, by the way, to stop at the toll station staff, who still have that stern Frisian look on their faces, and greet them with the words: “I’m visiting the Kraemers.” But that's just a side note. One of my fondest memories of Inge Kraemer is how we sat at night on the bench behind her house, with a finely crafted cocktail in our hands, philosophizing about art and culture and humanity. Timing of the lighthouse was like the heartbeat of our conversation. Even more beautiful: the comfortable silence, this silent agreement between two women. And then the older woman said to the younger woman in the lighthouse light: "Oh, you, enjoy your youth!" Only now, decades later, do I understand the profound meaning of this invitation.

© Holger Widera
The mantra of “Long Christian”

In one of my previous lives, I was the wife of a circus director. The director of the "Island Circus"Many will remember the colorful summer spectacles Remember, which may return to Sylt in the summer of 2025. At least when we lived at the circus site for two months, a chic, bright red fairground car was our home. It was parked right next to the bike path. The streams of bikers who cycled past our living-bedroom didn't spend much time commenting on the entire magical circus village at my window. Very rarely did I hear something like, "Where do the lions live?" In 99 percent of cases, the cyclists near our flying home fervently reported: “Look, there’s the lighthouse!” The sentence was like a mantra that interrupted my circus life during the day and accompanied me into my sleep at night, and burned into my heart the outstanding magic of the “Tall Christian” in Kampen, which the magic of a circus cannot compete with.
 

© Imke Wein

  • Saying “I do” on the lighthouse under special conditions.
"I do" for eternity

I married my circus director in May 2014 at the Hörnum lighthouse. At that time, we lived with the youth circus project for ten months in Hamburg and two on Sylt. The director was seriously ill at the time. Deathly ill, to be precise. The Hörnum lighthouse, with its symbolic significance, therefore seemed ideal as a wedding location. He, the children, and I were very exuberant on this bright May evening; we always lived with the Finiteness of our happiness, not against her. The registrar had apparently just learned of the special circumstances and was so moved that she struggled to keep her composure in the small, round room on the umpteenth floor in the belly of the lighthouse. It was a "I do" with tears. In this case, not those of the small wedding party. A tragic yet beautiful momentThere wasn't a big celebration. We had to leave quickly: our daughter was taking her Abitur exams in Hamburg the next morning. We had the celebratory dinner at the Burgerschmiede in Risum-Lindholm. We definitely deserved the award for one of the weirdest lighthouse weddings.

 

 

Contributors to this issue