Utersum

Utersum (Fering North Frisian: Ödersem, Danish: Yttersum) is a municipality on the island of Föhr, in the district of Nordfriesland, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The municipality includes the hamlet of Hedehusum.

Utersum
Ödersem / Yttersum
A thatched house in Utersum
Location of Utersum
Ödersem / Yttersum within Nordfriesland district
Utersum
Ödersem / Yttersum
Utersum
Ödersem / Yttersum
Coordinates: 54°43′N 8°24′E
CountryGermany
StateSchleswig-Holstein
DistrictNordfriesland
Municipal assoc.Föhr-Amrum
Government
 • MayorGöntje Schwab
Area
 • Total5.26 km2 (2.03 sq mi)
Elevation
3 m (10 ft)
Population
 (2019-12-31)[1]
 • Total398
 • Density76/km2 (200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
25938
Dialling codes04683
Vehicle registrationNF
Websitewww.utersum.de

Geography
The beach at Utersum during low tide with a view at the northern headland of Amrum

The village is located between pine woods and dunes in the utmost southwest of Föhr, within the sight of the neighbouring islands of Amrum 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 marshes 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.

History
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1667239—    
1678251+5.0%
1689265+5.6%
1700295+11.3%
1711320+8.5%
1722335+4.7%
1787294−12.2%
1801292−0.7%
1834205−29.8%
1860204−0.5%
1880177−13.2%
1900171−3.4%
1939255+49.1%
1961330+29.4%
1982500+51.5%
2016414−17.2%
Source: [2][3]

Three preserved dolmens testify of settlements from as early as the Bronze Age.

In the 17th and 18th century, whaling was an important trade on Föhr. A census in 1787 showed that Utersum and Hedehusum together had 294 inhabitants, 62 of whom were seafarers.[4] 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 of 1864 did Utersum become part of Schleswig-Holstein due to the annexation of Schleswig-Holstein by Prussia in 1867.[5]

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.

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 Rosenthal (1925–1987). He was made an honorary citizen of the village. Utersum was the hometown of Volkert & Boz Lorenzen and Arian Martens all able seaman lost at sea on the brig Mary Celeste in 1872.

References
  1. "Statistikamt Nord – Bevölkerung der Gemeinden in Schleswig-Holstein 4. Quartal 2019 (XLS-file)". Statistisches Amt für Hamburg und Schleswig-Holstein (in German).
  2. Roeloffs, Brar C. (1984). Von der Seefahrt zur Landwirtschaft (in German). Neumünster: Karl Wachholtz Verlag. p. 38. ISBN 3-529-06184-0.
  3. "Statistikamt Nord – Bevölkerung der Gemeinden in Schleswig-Holstein 4. Quartal 2016]"
  4. Faltings, Jan I. (2011). Föhrer Grönlandfahrt im 18. und 19. Jahrhundert (in German). Amrum: Verlag Jens Quedens. p. 13. ISBN 978-3-924422-95-0.
  5. Faltings, Jan I., Föhrer Grönlandfahrt .... p. 30.
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