Historical Review of the Dithmarschen Region of Schleswig-Holstein
The history of the Dithmarschen region has been shaped by the continuous fight of the coastal inhabitants against the sea and the forces of nature. Place names in this region help us visualize man's labor intensive and time-consuming fight to reclaim the sea. Koog, also called Groden, Heller, or Polder, denotes marshland or lowland, reclaimed from the sea or other body of water, and protected by dikes. The Dammkoog is mentioned as early as the year 1362 when it was damaged by the catastrophic storm tides in that year. . Places ending in -donn describe the sandy dunes near the sea; Moor land is fenny, or marshy soil; and –deich is a dike, dam, or embankment. (Note these and other descriptive place name suffixes in names of places in this region).
In 1908 Henning Oldekop prepared a brief history of Holstein, including district and parish histories. His Topographie des Herzogtums Holstein, published in Kiel provides this overview of the Dithmarschen region.
The Thiatmarsgau region is mentioned by name as early as the end of the 8th century. It was conquered by Charlemagne and converted to Christianity in 804. After 936 it was under the rule of the Counts of Stade. However, the farmers--always ready for an altercation--could not be satisfied with their lack of independence, thus they often fought against their rulers and defeated Count Rudolf (1145) and razed the Böckelnburg, his fortress near the town of Burg. For three years they were independent, then Heinrich the Lion (represented by Adolf II of Schauenburg) brought the ravages of war to the area again, conquered the inhabitants, and kept strict rule from his seat at the Stellerburg near Weddingstedt. They were forced to recognize as their governor the brother of the deceased Rudolf, the Archbishop Hartwig of Bremen. Thereafter the Dithmarschen region was ruled from Bremen.
As a reward for his services in the conflict, Adolf II received an annual payment of grain that had to be contributed by the farmers. In 1195 this payment was specifically confirmed in writing to Adolf III by Emperor Heinrich VI. However, the people of the Dithmarschen were quite unhappy with this status; they maintained a hostile relationship with the knights and destroyed their fortresses. Finally, they even appealed to the Danes for support, specifically to Schleswig Bishop Waldemar, who was a member of the royal house of Denmark. Thus emerged a relationship with Denmark and this resulted in independence over time. Nevertheless, over the years this situation apparently became burdensome to the people of the Dithmarschen. History tells us that by turning against Waldemar II (they turned about and held their shields backwards toward their oppressors) they contributed to a successful outcome for the allies at the battle of Bornhöved in 1227. Then they again had to pay some homage to the archbishop in Bremen, but to an almost inconsequential degree. The archbishop received only a so-called "welcome" of 50 Marks and an annual tax from the governors. The region could claim a special kind of autonomy.
There were several changes over the years; the old knightly families disappeared and there emerged among the residents of the region a separation into clans and families. This had marked effects in the legal realm. The members were required--as were the members of an individual family in days of yore--to provide legal assistance to the accused. They had to avenge the victim and demand reparations. There were five districts (Döffte) and these answered to governors (Vögte). Judges and jury members were responsible for legal decisions in the church parishes.
The general regional assembly (at Meldorf) had only limited powers. These institutions were not sufficient to maintain internal peace. Indeed, all acts of violence were common--robbery, pirating on the Elbe and at sea, were daily occurrences. In the 15th century it became necessary to take serious steps against this problem, and additions to the constitution were in order. A committee of 48 judges or councilors was installed and given the highest powers in all instances, e.g., to secure the peace internally and to represent the region externally. The committee provided for its own successors and took on an aristocratic air. The committee met each week on the heath where the boundaries of two parishes met and at that location a new center of public life and commerce emerged. Here it was in subsequent years that the general public sessions took place, where the parish leaders, the governors, judges, and jurors met. The great seal of the territory bears the picture of the Virgin Mary with the Christ child as well as St. Oswald.
For years the Holstein rulers tried in vain to conquer the Dithmarschen. In 1319 the farmers were conquered and locked up inside the church at Wöhrden. However, the fire burning over their heads caused them to panic, whereupon they broke out of the church and beat up on Count Gerhard the Great and began to battle anew. Gerhard IV and 300 knights were defeated in 1404 at the so-called Süderhamme by Oster- and Westerwohld. On the other hand, Christian I, King of Denmark and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, was successful in motivating Emperor Friedrich III on 14 February 1474 to officially annex the Dithmarschen to the Duchy of Holstein. Initially there were no practical effects of this action. Christian's sons and successors, the Danish King Hans and Duke Friedrich I of Gottorp, tried to conquer the region again, but were dealt a devastating defeat at the battle of Dusenddüwelswarf south of Hemmingsted on 17 February 1500. The defeat meant the end of the golden age of the North German knights. This victory of the farmers over the nobility was celebrated in song and story both within and without the region and brought the land an external peace lasting fifty years. However, the Reformation caused internal conflicts. Heinrich Moller, called Heinrich von Zütphen, lost his life at the stake on 11 December 1524 as one of the first martyrs of the Evangelical Church. Eventually the new faith gained the upper hand.
The year 1559 became a key date for the republic. The hatred that the princes and noblemen had long secretly harbored flared up again. In May of that year King Friedrich III, Johann the Elder, and Adolf von Gottorp founded an alliance that was joined by many other German nobles. The veteran Johann Rantzau was again at the head of the troops. Meldorf and Brunsbüttel were conquered and from there they advanced over the Tiele bridge and the Norderhamme to Heide, where the decisive battle was fought. Friedrich II was in danger of perishing while Duke Adolf incited the flagging foot soldiers to increased courage but was severely injured by a spear in the process. However, the knights of the Count of Oldenburg attacked the flank of peasants and the victory was gained by the alliance. The bodies of 3,000 farmers covered the field and their freedom was destroyed.
As a memento of this victory and the conquest of the Dithmarschen, the princely house of Schleswig-Holstein(Oldenburg line) added a silver-armored knight with drawn sword on a red field to their coat of arms. Thereafter the towns actually retained many of their rights as practiced before. The three conquerors divided up the region and following the death of Johann the Elder in 1581 there were two halves: South Dithmarschen with its capital in Meldorf went to King Friedrich II and North Dithmarschen with its capital in Heide went to Duke Adolf von Gottorp. As a result of the exchange contract of 1773, North Dithmarschen with the remaining Gottorp territories became the property of the Danish king.
After the events of 1864/1866 Dithmarschen was assumed by the Kingdom of Prussia. The region was divided into the two counties Norderdithmarschen and Süderdithmarschen.
It is now a part of the modern state of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
Süderdithmarschen
The county of Süderdithmarschen lies in the southwest region of Schleswig-Holstein between 50° 53' and 54° 12' north latitude and between 8° 50' and 9° 27' east longitude. It is bordered on the north by Norderdithmarschen county, in the east by Rendsburg and Steinburg counties, and in the south--across the Elbe where it flows into the North Sea--by the province of Hanover and in the East by the North Sea. From north to south the county measures 33.5 km and from east to west 21 km. A small section of the county extends to the northeast as far as the Eider River. Another such arm extends to the southwest--the Friedrichskoog--as far as the North Sea. The area meausres 75.275 hectace, i.e., 13.77 squre miles. The population numbers 50,301, with the male contingent barely in the majority. The county features outstanding marshlands in the west and south, with moors and heath sections in the east. These sectors are divided by a line running from Kuden past St. Michaelisdonn, Meldorf, and Hemmingstedt to Heide.
From the eastern core of the Dithmarschen slope lands (consisting essentially of the parishes of Albersdorf, Süderhastedt and half of Tellingstedt with some arable lands) a noarrow slope land peninsula extends in a line about 3 to 4 km from Meldorf to the Dithmarschen Bay. If one takes the old Meldorfer Highway from Tensbüttel westward, one comes ujpon a small river that runs first northwest then west. It is called the Südermiele in contrast to the Nordermiele that flows through the Fieler Lake. A tributary in the south is the Süderrau. The Gieselau represents the northern border while the Eider River forms part of the eastern border with Rendsburg County. In the southeast sector are the Burgerau and Holstenau Rivers, the latter forming the county's eastern border and assuming the name Wilsterau when it enters the county.
Noteworthy lakes include the Kudensee, that is traversed by the Kaiser Wilhelm Cnal. Probably the most scenic parts of the county lie north and northeast of that lake--the slope lands near Burg. East of Barlt we find the Dünen Hill, the Wodanslag by Windbergen, the Wittenberg by St. Michaelisdonn, and the Rambert by Burg, where the Böckelnburg Castle once stood. Atop that natural rise stood a formidable wall of 300 meters circumference, forming a relatively large fortification. Today beautiful trees adorn those walls, within which the Burg cemetery is located. One can enjoy a marvelous view from that spot over the Wilser Marshes and the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal. Further to the north the Dochdonner Mountain rises impressively out of the moor.
The great dike was built beginning near Meldorf in the 11th or 12th century, running past Thalinburen and Barsfleth to Ketelsbüttel, damming up an arm of the Eider. To the south the dike ran by Ammerswurt, Elpersbüttel, Norder- and Süder-Busenwurth to Trennewurth, then past Helse to Marne, from Marne past Fahrstedt, Diekhusen, Schmedeswurth and Kattrepel to the Diekshörn (Deickwinkel), where the Brunsbüttel dike system begins. Many of these settlements have existed for centuries, surrounded by imposing poplars and ash trees. The Marne region is especially well-known for these.
Marne did not gain importance until recently, since several sections of new land have been enclosed by dikes. The following sections of land are noteworthy: Brunsbüttelkoog, (Duchess) Sophienkoog (1725), Kronprinzenkoog (1785-87), Christianskoog (1845) between Meldorf and Wöhrden, Friedrichskoog (1853), Kaiser Wilhelm Koog (1872-73), and finally the relatively new Auguste Viktoria Koog.
Church parishes include the following:
Albersdorf
Barlt
Brunsbüttel
Eddelak
Hemmingstedt
Vereinigte Köge [Union of Enclosed Land Sectors]
Marne
Meldorf
Nordhastedt
St. Michaelisdonn
Süderhastedt
Windbergen
Wöhrden
Helgoland [now part of ].
A brief history of Sankt Michaelisdonn from Oldekop's book is translated below:
Sankt Michaelisdonn, a farming community in the parish of Marne, consists of the town of St. Michaelisdonn with its chapel, several estate farms, and rows of houses.
Farming community mayor[Bauerschaftsvorsteher]: Nikolaus Lucht.
The town of St. Michaelisdonn is located 7 kilometers ENE of Marne, on the highway that runs from Eddelak through Marne on its way to Burg/Dithmarschen. Near Westdorf, where the railroad station is located, that highway turns off toward Meldorf. The town of Michaelisdonn itself has two sections, Süderdonn and Norderdonn stands at the point where the marsh gives way to the slope upward to the old flatlands. Under the town is a sand dune left by the retreating sea, a dune that extends from Meldorf to Taterpfahl (farming community of Averlak). Each town built atop this sand dune includes the syllable -donn in its name. Underneath the sand there is a layer of moor peat about 2 to 4 feet in depth, mixed in places with marsh soil. The area was probably known by the name of Rösthusen-Donn in earlier times, whereas in the vicinity of Danckwerth it is called the Rehedyk, a name that traces its meaning back to the days when the sea with its bullrushes covered the land. A section of this so-called Lake Borndorf (named after the now extinct village of Boordorf--see Hopen) belongs to the parish, the other part belongs to Mother Nature. This lake, often called the Little North Sea, continues to shrink and the bullrushes to disappear.
As a church unit, St. Michaelisdonn was a part of Marne Parish in days gone by. The chapel was built from funds collected from 1611 to 1614 by two men throughout Schleswig-Holstein. The contributions amounted to 2,388 florins, of which 458 came from the marne Parish. The construction lasted one year, after which pastor Stephan Ramm dedicated the building on 8 September 1614. On that occasion the Archangel Michael was designated the patron saint. From that day forth the town was known as Sankt Michaelis-Donn. Twice an addition to the chapel was built, in 1730 on the west side and 1747 on the east. A new roof was constructed in 1832. The first bell was installed in 1638, according to church records. The pulpit, the altar, and the christening stand all feature wood carvings. The first pastor was Jacobus Krüger, who previously served as the rector in Marne. The parish home burned down in 1620 and again in 1769. The original cemetery lies adjacent to the church, whereas a new cemetery was laid out sout of town. A fund for St. Margareth is collected regularly. A school with four grades. A savings and loan as well as a local bank. Two mills, one in mid-town and the other in the southern section. Several larger stores and craftsmen's shops. The sugar factory was built in 1880/81 as a corporation, with the owners of 53 large farms as stock holders. The operation is developing well and would grow even faster if not for the lack of laborers that hinders the cultivation of beets. The solidly-built factory with its modern machinery can be set to process from 5 to 60j0,000 Zentner of beets, but only half that many beets are available. From mid-October to early December 6,000 Zentner of beets are processed daily. In a season, 30,000 to 45,00 Zentner are processed and sent on to the refineries in Itzehoe and Schulau. The revenues depend on the current year's beet crop and the price of sugar, i.e., annually from 250,000 to 350,000 Marks (see Friedrichskoog).
The brick yard belonging to farm owner Alban Boje produces up to 700,000 bricks. The third Tuesday before Pentecost is an important market day, especially for wooden tools. [Neighboring settlements:] Kannemoorfeld, 2 large farms, NW of St. Michaelisdonn, an estate farm of 27 acres, 3.275 M, 9 horses, 41 cows, 12 sheep, local mayor [Amtsvorsteher] J. Ibs. The other farm belongs to Kannemoor; St. Michaelisdoon, farm to the west, 33 acres, 3,275 M, Georg Lucht, 15 horses, 53 cattle, 6 sheep Brustwehr, NW, row of six houses
The Watt [mud-flat; shallows, sandbank] stretches 15-30 km wide along the northern sea coast from Esbjerg in Denmark to Den Helder in the Netherlands. The predominent part is Sandwatt [sand-drifts] containing more that 85% sand, the Mischwatt [mixed] remained 50-85% of the sand Schlickwatt [mud-flat] and more than 50 % clay and a smaller portion organic material.
Bibliography
Oldekop, Henning. Topographie des Herzogtums Holstein. Kiel: 1908