Low German

Native speakers call it "Plattdeutsch", experts call it Low German, but everyone is referring to one and the same language. Being a regional language, Low German is spoken everywhere in Schleswig-Holstein.

Hansekogge "Lisa von Lübeck"© M. Ruff/grafikfoto.de

When the Hanseatic League was at the height of its power in the 13th to16th centuries, Low German was still considered to be a world language. Merchants used the language for their negotiations and formulated their contracts in Low German. High German did not really exist at all.

The Rise of High German

Beginning in the 16th century, the linguistic landscape of the German-speaking regions changed fundamentally. Due to the decline of the Hanseatic League and the powerful influence of the Reformation, High German began to spread more and more from the South to the North. MartinLuther’s translation of the Bible played an important part in this development. For his translation of the Old and New Testaments, Luther already used the written form of New High German that was just emerging at the time. Over the years, Low German lost its prominence and importance.

North Germany became bilingual

Plattdeutsch ist in Schleswig-Holstein eine lebendige

Sprachedpa ©

Nobility and members of the upper classes were the first to adopt High German. The invention of the printing press contributed to Low German being replaced by High German as the written language. From then on, High German was the language used in the entire public realm. North Germany, where Low German originally used to be spoken exclusively, became bilingual and Low German turned into a language spoken by "common" people.

Vibrant and popular language

Low German was considered to be an inferior language for a long time. Nowadays, it is once again held in high esteem as a vibrant and popular language. Low German has been protected under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages since 1999 and has been receiving public support.

The Frisians and their language

© Michael Staudt/Grafikfoto.de

The Frisian people live in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein: on the west coast, the North Frisian islands and on Helgoland. There have been Frisians for more than 2000 years. Archaeological and linguistic evidence was found to prove that Frisians migrated from their original settlement area between what is currently known as the Ijsselmeer and the Weser River to North Frisia in two waves.

Frisian history

In the 8th century AD, the Frisians primarily settled on the islands and the Hallig salt marsh islands, while they migrated to the marsh regions of the mainland at the turn of the millennium. Even though there has never been a North Frisian state, the North Frisians do have their own separate flag.

Rather dead than slave

The coat of arms on the flag shows a crown symbolizing the Danish Crown, half of the double eagle symbolizing the German Empire, and a pot of grits. Legend has it that Frisian womenfolk chased away foes with hot grits. The political slogan "Lewer duad üs slav!" meaning "rather dead than slave" coined in the 19th century emphasizes the proverbial strong sense of independence which is said to characterize the Frisian people.

An independent language

Frisian is an independent language. North Frisian spoken in Schleswig-Holstein is one of the minority languages protected under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages. With only some 8,000 to10,000 speakers, North Frisian is one of the smallest languages in Europe.

German Sinti and Roma

Schleswig-Holstein has been a home for the minority group of the Sinti and Roma peoples who are German nationals for a very long time. The first reference to this minority was found in a document from Lübeck dating back to the year 1417. The Sinti and Roma trace their original roots back to India.

© stock.xchng

Today, an estimated 5,000 Sinti and Roma live inSchleswig-Holstein. Throughout the course of history the Sinti and Roma peoples had to endure discrimination again and again. They were berated and called "gypsies"; they were ousted from their professions and were driven from cities or entire regions. During the Nazidictatorship, the Sinti and Roma had to suffer systematic persecution and genocide all over Europe.

Cultural identity

The cultural identity of the Sinti and Roma peoples primarily derives from their language, Romanes, their music, and their living together in extended families. Romanes is one of the languages protected under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.

Scenery and Natural Surroundings

Schleswig-Holstein is often called "land between the seas" as it is the only federal state in Germany situated between the North Sea and the Baltic. Another phrase frequently used to describe the state is "land of the horizons", because here you have ample opportunity to gaze off into the distance at the horizon.

Fields of rapeseed in bloom near Krusendorf on the Baltic© Denise Friedrich

Whichever characterization you may choose for the northernmost federal state, here in Schleswig-Holstein we are proud of our superb scenery and rich fauna. You can sense the sea almost everywhere in Schleswig-Holstein, even if you are a long way inland.

Maybe that is due to the pleasant ocean breeze which can be so refreshing, especially in summer. Maybe it’s the salty air containing lots of healthy iodine which makes it an attractive destination for many visitors. Or maybe it’s the striking landscape with its beaches and high cliffs, its so-called Knicks, hedge and wall combinations intended to mark the boundaries between fields, and fields, its woody hills and its many chains of lakes.

The North Sea

Riders in the Wadden Sea near Cuxhaven© Kretsche/www.pixelio.de

The wind and the waves are characteristic features of Schleswig-Holstein’s west coast. The ever-changing ebb and flow of the tides oftentimes function as an additional rhythm in the day-to-day life of animals and human residents. Many coastal regions lie below sea level; pumping stations and dikes are their only protection from high tides and floods. And yet, over the past centuries the raging North Sea flooded villages again and again and washed away entire stretches of land. But people braved the sea and reclaimed the land strip by strip.

The Baltic Sea

View of the Port and downtown Kiel©

Seehafen Kiel GmbH & Co. KG/ P. Lühr

On the Baltic coast, you can hardly tell the difference between high and low tide. Over the course of time, the sea did very little to change the coastline. Storm floods like the one which killed 300 people in the year 1872 are very rare occurrences indeed. In this sheltered location, cities likeLübeck, steeped in tradition, could flourish and engage in brisk trade with all other countries bordering the Baltic Sea. Until today, trade via the Baltic Sea ports plays a vital role in Schleswig-Holstein.

Islands and Hallig Islands

Hanswarft, a man made mound on the

Hallig island of Hooge© Doris Rennekamp/www.pixelio.de

The seven islands off the Baltic and North Sea coasts ofSchleswig-Holstein are very popular as destinations for day trips or a longer vacation. The so-called Hallig islands – small islands that are regularly flooded by the sea – are a unique phenomenon world-wide. Schleswig-Holstein’sislands are a real attraction drawing people from near and far, be it for a beach vacation in the summertime or to take a break from it all and unwind in the winter.

Every island has its own special character and flair. The Island of Fehmarn, which is situated between Kiel Fjord and Mecklenburg Bay, is the only island off Schleswig-Holstein’s Baltic Sea coast. Helgoland is the only German deep-sea island. The North Frisian Islands are located along the west coast ofSchleswig-Holstein, as are the Hallig islands. These small islands are surrounded by the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park which became part of the cross-border UNESCO World Heritage Site "Wadden Sea" in June 2009.

Geography

Schleswig-Holstein is the only German federal state that lies between two seas.Kiel Canal, the busiest man-made waterway in the world connects these two seas. Schleswig-Holstein is bordered in the north by Denmark and the Baltic, and by Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the Baltic in the east. To the south there are Hamburg and Lower Saxony and to the wes the north sea.

Source: Statistikamt Nord (click to enlarge)

Geographical overview

Area: 15,763 sq. km Length: 188 km Greatest breadth: 165 km (Eiderstedt -Fehmarnsound)Least breadth: 33 km (Schleswig - Husum) Longest distance within the Land: 236 km (List/Sylt -Lauenburg)

Coastline on both seas: 1,190 kmLargest island: Fehmarn (185 sq. km)Largest island in the North Sea: Sylt (97 sq. km)Smallest island: Helgoland (4 sq. km)Longest river: Eider (180 km) Greatest altitude: Bungsberg (168 m)Lowest place in Germany: Neuendorf/Disrict of Steinburg (3.54 m below sea level)

Natural landscapes

Schleswig-Holstein as a whole includes three major types of natural landscape - marshland, geestland and hill country - which succeed each other from west to east.

The marshlands represent the youngest landscape, being formed of marine sediments laid down in the Ice Age. Among these are the marshlands on the mainland and the Wadden Sea as well as the islands. They are characterized by heavy, fertile soils.

© Heinz Teufel

The Geest, a band of moorland that forms a "central spine" between the marshlands and the hills is composed of landscapes of different ages and diverse origins, characterized by poor soils. In the west is the High Geest formed of Saalian moraines; in the east is the flat Low Geest deriving from sandy fluvioglacial deposits of the Weichselian period. The Low Geest has extensive areas of bog.

The hill country along the Baltic coast in the east was formed by the glaciers that covered Schleswig-Holsteinduring the last European Ice Age (the Weichselian glaciation). The ice left behind a diverse young moraine landscape. The hills, impressive in their form and relative elevation, meet the Baltic at a coast of bays and fjords.

A characteristic feature of the Schleswig-Holstein landscape are the so-called Knicks, hedge and wall combinations intended to mark the boundaries between fields. These provide a retreat for insects and birds and offer protection against wind and erosion. For this reason the Knicks are identified as a protected biotope (a habitat with its associated species) under Schleswig-Holstein's nature conservation legislation.

Protected landscapes and nature conservation areas

© Heinz Teufel

For Schleswig-Holstein, its natural surroundings represent an invaluable resource whose diversity, uniqueness and beauty must be protected, a space for living and recreation to be maintained and safeguarded. The Wadden Sea National Park is the largest National Park in Germany and is believed to have the densest bird population in Central Europe. It is home to 3,200 species.

2.9 % of Schleswig-Holstein's surface area is designated as nature conservation area. A decision of the European Union has established a systematic network of such protected areas in the EU member states, which is called Natura 2000.

Islands

Hörnum on the island of Sylt© Ralf

Seybold/www.pixelio.de

Fehmarn: 185.35 sq. kmSylt: 97.02 sq. kmFöhr: 82.81 sq. kmNordstrand: 48.64 sq. kmPellworm: 36.24 sq. kmAmrum: 20.45 sq. kmHelgoland:4.20 sq. km

Lakes

Schleswig-Holstein has some 300 lakes, covering 28,000 hectares, approximately 1.7% of the total surface area of the Land. They are home to very many animal and plant species. Endangered species such as the sea eagle have now re-established themselves here.

Rivers

Eider river© AktivRegion Eider-Treene-Sorge

Schleswig-Holstein has 21,700 km of rivers and streams – something like half the circumference of the earth! They provide habitats for the otter and the kingfisher and are a paradise for canoeists.

Longest RiversEider: 180 kmTrave: 112 kmStör: 83 km

Coastal protection

Schleswig-Holstein has a coastline of 1,190 km. Dykes on the North Sea coast (408 km) and the Baltic coast (119 km) protect coastal areas otherwise threatened by flooding, representing almost a quarter of the Land's territory. Coastal protection is thus very important, some 45 million euros having been invested in 2005 alone.

Schleswig-Holstein History

"Up ewig ungedeelt" means forever undivided between Germany and Denmark: Learn more about the changeable and fascinating history of the State ofSchleswig-Holstein.

Viking-Age boat moored in Haithabu©

Stiftung Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseen Schloß Gottorf

Schleswig-Holstein was already inhabited in early Prehistoric times, as is attested by its many megalithic burial chambers and by the important archaeological discoveries made in the Nydam and Thorsberg bogs. In the 9th century AD, one of the largest Viking settlements in Northern Europe developed atHaithabu (german spelling of Hedeby) on the River Schlei, whose massive semi-circular wall can still be seen today.

In the mid-thirteenth century,Schleswig emerged as a principality extending from the Eider River to the Königsau, and in 1386, the Danes and the Germans came to an agreement whereby the Danish Duchy of Schleswigwould be united under one ruler with the German Earldom or County of Holstein. The German Counts of Schauenburg ruled both Schleswig and Holstein until their line became extinct in 1459.

The Middle Ages

Unesco World Heritage Site: Lübeck´s old Town© Andreas

Seehase/www.pixelio.de

The first large towns appeared in the Middle Ages, among them Lübeck, an imperial free city and leading member of the Hanseatic League, which became one of the most important cities of Europe. The last of the Schauenburgdynasty was succeeded as ruler of Schleswig andHolstein by Christian I of Denmark, who in the "Ripener Freiheitsbrief" (Charter of Freedom) of 1460 undertook "dat se bliven ewich tosamende ungedelt" (that they shall remain forever undivided). During his reign, in 1474, the German Emperor raised Holstein to the status of a dukedom. From the 16th century, Schleswig-Holstein had two rulers, with a "royal part" and a "ducal part".

The Eider Canal

The old Eider Canal near Holtenau

(1894)Wilhelm Dreesen

From 1773, the King of Denmark ruled both duchies, united under a single crown as integral parts of the Danish state. As a result, Schleswig-Holstein experienced a great economic and political revival: The building of the EiderCanal, forerunner of today’sKiel Canal, created the most important waterway between the North Sea and the Baltic, while the abolition of serfdom brought land reform.

Growing nationalism

Only the growing nationalism of the 19th century and Copenhagen’s attempts to incorporate Schleswig into the Danish kingdom upset the relationship between Germans and Danes, leading to the Schleswig-Holstein uprising of 1848. Appointing a provisional government, the German population took the destiny of the two duchies into its own hands, only to succumb to the military superiority of Denmark and the political pressure of the great European powers.

The German-Danish conflict

Kiel in the 19th centurycopyright

expired/in the public domain

In 1851, the troops of the German Confederation occupied the Duchy of Holsteinand re-established the situation as it had existed before 1848. At the same time, the Danish king promised to introduce a constitution that would exclude the incorporation of Schleswig into his kingdom. This, however, brought no lasting resolution to the German-Danish conflict, which led to war again in 1864. The German Confederation won the conflict and Schleswigwas ceded to the Germans. In 1866, Schleswig-Holstein and its capital Kiel became a province of the Kingdom of Prussia; the Duchy ofLauenburg being added to it in 1876.

The November Revolution in 1918

Protesting sailors and workers march in Kiel in early november 1918© Fotosammlung Stadtarchiv Kiel

In 1918, events in Schleswig-Holstein had wide-reaching repercussions: The naval mutiny at Kiel led to theNovember Revolution of that year, bringing with it an end to the First World War and to German monarchy. In a referendum held in 1920 under the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, the northern part of Schleswig voted in favor of unification with Denmark. Since then, the dividing line established by this vote has formed the border between Germany and Denmark.

The Nazi Regime

© Klicker/www.pixelio.de

Already the seizure of power by the National Socialists in 1933 was marked by terror: The German Communist Party, the Socialist Party of Germany and the trade unions were outlawed and persecuted; SAmembers tortured political opponents in "ad hoc concentration camps". Synagogues throughout the province went up in flames during the Kristallnachtpogrom of 9 November 1938; many Jews were rounded up and sent to camps; finally came the deportation and murder of those who had not emigrated, while government, police and judiciary acted against minorities and dissidents more generally.

The postwar period

Kiel in the winter of 1946/47: view of a gloomy, almost deserted city© Doris Lammers/Stadtarchiv Kiel

After Hitler's suicide in April 1945, the last government of the Third Reich, under Admiral Dönitz, retreated to Flensburg-Mürwik, capitulating on 8 May 1945. In those months, hundreds of thousands of refugees, especially from Germany’s Eastern territories, fled to the region north of theElbe River, raising its population by 60% compared with pre-War figures. Very many of these refugees would find a new home in Schleswig-Holstein.

German-Danish friendship

German-Danish friendship© Andreas Birresborn

The Kiel Declaration of 1949 and the Bonn-Copenhagen Declarations of 1955 led to an improvement in German-Danish relations, and in the newly created federal state ofSchleswig-Holstein a close and co-operative relationship developed between the German majority and the Danish minority, which since 1949

has been represented in the Schleswig-Holsteinparliament by its own voters’ association, theSüdschleswigsche Wählerverband (SSW).

Film and the Media

Schleswig-Holstein inspires filmmakers. Numerous well-known TV series and films were shot in the past or are currently being filmed in the northernmost federal state.

Camera man filming a scene on the

waterfront© Bernd Sterzl/www.pixelio.de

The state-run film promotion organization FilmförderungHamburg / Schleswig-Holstein(FFHSH) supports cinema films and exceptional TV productions of all genres. The decision to subsidize a movie is based on the following criteria: content quality and extensive reference toSchleswig-Holstein orHamburg.

Various events and seminars on industry-related topics, such as film funding, movies and the law, or digitization, are part of the services offered by the Filmförderung Hamburg / Schleswig-Holstein as guidance and direct support for producers and filmmakers. FFHSH also boasts a broad international network and it awards the coveted North German Film Prize.

Memorials

Four memorials in Schleswig-Holstein, which are located in Ladelund, Husum-Schwesing, Ahrensbök and Kaltenkirchen, commemorate the victims of the Naziregime.

Ladelund former concentration camp:

memorial and meeting center© KZ Gedenk- und Begegnungsstätte Ladelund

The exhibits, documentations and lectures presented at these memorials shed light on the measures of persecution and annihilation taken by theNazis. As places of collective, cultural memory, these memorial sites serve as venues for mediation and reconciliation work for survivors as well as for relatives and descendents of victims of Nazi persecution. At the same time, they are also directed towards the following generations. The memorials also function as information centers which help and support society in being vigilant and courageous about any tendencies that might be a threat to democracy.

t

Literature

Schleswig-Holstein has a vibrant literary scene and a rich literary heritage.

Pair of glasses atop an old, yellow book©

JenaFoto24.de/www.pixelio.de

The Schleswig-HolsteinHouse of Literature represents a network of contemporary literary life in the state. The House of Literature organizes literary events of its own and acts as a publisher. In so doing, special focus is placed on new German-language literature and writing from the Baltic States. Moreover, the House of Literature works across the state, coordinating literary events, such as the European Festival of the Debut Novel and the so-called Literary Summer.

The literary heritage of Schleswig-Holstein

Five writers’ museums are dedicated to preserving and promoting the literary heritage of Schleswig-Holstein by offering a rich program of events, exhibitions and academic conferences. Among them are the Buddenbrookhaus and the Heinrich-and-Thomas-Mann-Center in Lübeck, the Ernst-Barlach-Museums in

Ratzeburg andWedel, the Klaus-Groth-Museum in Heide, the Hebbel-Museum in Wesselburen and the Storm-Haus, home of the author Theodor Storm. The Günter Grass-Haus inLübeck primarily focuses on the author as an artist and sculptor.

Theater

Schleswig-Holstein’s theater landscape is exceptionally diverse.

theater itzehoetheater itzehoe, Foto: Andreas Pankratz

Schleswig-Holstein’s theater landscape is exceptionally diverse. All across the state, there are small and large theaters, theater companies staging Low German plays, puppet and model theaters as well as improvisational theater and amateur troupes. Every summer, the EutinFestival presents famous operas on the open-air stage right on the banks of Eutin’s picturesque lake. Toy theaters also organize festivals inSchleswig-Holstein. Many visitors flock to the Pole Poppenspäler Theater Days inHusum, the Toy Theater Meet in Preetz and the Puppet and Model Theater Days inKappeln.

Museums in Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein boasts some 250 museums which form a widespread network extending from Flensburg on the Danish border to Lauenburg on the ElbeRiver and from Keitum on the Island of Sylt to the city of Burg on the Island ofFehmarn. The number and density of museums in the state underscoreSchleswig-Holstein’s long-standing tradition as a highly developed, distinctive cultural landscape.

State Museum "Schloss Gottorf" at Schleswig© TASH

Museums can be found everywhere in the most beautiful surroundings ofSchleswig-Holstein, such as the Nolde Museum in Seebüll, the Jewish Museum in the historic old part of the town ofRendsburg, the Museumsbergin Flensburg or the HeikendorfArt Museum, the Wenzel HablikMuseum in Itzehoe or the North Frisian Museum in Husum.

Schleswig-Holstein’s State Museum at Gottorf Castle inSchleswig impresses with its rich art collections and

the reconstruction of a walk-in globe dating back to the 17th century and located in the baroque gardens. The Kiel Art Hall, attractively located near the waterfront of KielFjord, displays its 150-year-old collection and also hosts exhibitions of internationally renowned artists.

Northern and Central Europe have been meeting in Schleswig-Holstein for thousands of years: the Viking Museum in Haithabu, well known for its archaeological open-air exhibition area and the Molfsee Open-Air Museum convey a vivid impression of life and of commercial practice in the last centuries in Schleswig-Holstein.