DISTANT PLACES
Travel tips for destinations far from the Hanseatic City of Bremen
Crabs, dikes and the Wadden Sea
The North Sea spa town of Büsum
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Fishing cutter
Crabs are picked, as the shelling process is called here, which cracks open the hard shell and reveals the tender pink flesh. Picking is still mostly done by hand, even though many attempts have been made over the years to develop a satisfactory peeling machine. Until then, crabs are picked in low-wage countries, and the crab meat is re-imported. Those who want them as fresh as possible can pick them themselves - with a bit of practice, it’s actually quite easy. The shrimp is held with both hands, the front and back parts twisted against each other roughly in the middle, and the rear part pulled off.
Scenes from the museum harbor
There’s something calming and sometimes even social about sitting on the terraced benches by the museum harbor next to a replica of Büsum’s first lighthouse, peeling crabs in the sun while watching the activity in the harbor. And there’s plenty to see, especially in the summer months when boats come and go from the harbor basins. Alongside the fishing cutters in the fishing harbor, it’s mainly the excursion ships setting off for trips to the seal banks, coastal tours, or Heligoland that return later, making for an interesting sight alongside the museum ships and the DGzRS lifeboat stationed here. And when the police or customs boat leaves the harbor with officials who seem in a hurry, something must be happening out on the North Sea.
Excursion ship returns from Heligoland
Strolling from the museum harbor along Hafenstraße leads to what is probably the most interesting historical building in town: St.-Clemens Church. After two previous churches were lost to storm surges and fire, the inhabitants built this third church on a warft (an artificially raised mound) in 1442.
View past the pulpit to the altar in St. Clement's Church
The oldest object among the church’s noteworthy interior is a bronze font made around the year 1300. According to the "Chronik des Landes Dithmarschen" by Büsum’s pastor Johann Adolph Köster (ca. 1550–1630), it was stolen in 1472 by the pirate Cord Widderich (also Kort Widerick) from an old church on the island of Pellworm.
In 2009, a life-sized bronze statue of Neocorus - created by artist Jens Rusch - was erected next to the church in honor of his literary achievements.
Bronze statue of Neocorus
Also worth seeing are the houses with thatched roofs, made from reeds locally called Reet. While such roofs can be found in other European countries, they are particularly widespread along Germany’s North Sea coast. Until the first half of the 20th century, farmhouses in inland areas were often roofed this way. Special craftsmanship is required to install and maintain these roofs properly, ensuring that no issues arise with the natural material used by our ancestors for generations. For example, a minimum slope of 45 percent and an overhang of 50 centimeters are needed so that rainwater runs off quickly and proper ventilation prevents internal rot. If the roofers have done good work and the reeds were of high quality, such a roof can last 30–60 years.
Roofers at work
Many old thatched houses are protected as historical monuments, preventing owners from replacing damaged roofs with other materials - even if the building’s structure would allow it. Another disadvantage is the fire hazard and associated insurance requirements, especially during hot, dry months. I know homeowners who hesitate to leave for long periods during this time and never leave their house unattended on New Year’s Eve, fearing that a spark from fireworks could reduce their home to ashes. Besides the cost of re-thatching, this is likely why many modern builders have abandoned this craft.
However, strolling through Büsum and its surroundings reveals a small revival of thatched roofs even in new constructions - a hopeful sign that this tradition and cultural element will not disappear.
The material used for these roofs is delivered in large bundles
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Map
Travel information
Tourism Marketing Service Büsum GmbH
Südstrand 11
25761 Büsum
Phone: +49 (0) 4834 / 90 90
Email: info@buesum.de
Internet: www.buesum.de
Tourist Information
Südstrand 11
25761 Büsum
Phone: +49 (0) 4834 / 909-114
Email: info@buesum.de
Internet: www.buesum.de
National Park Info
www.nationalpark-wattenmeer.de/sh/
Getting there
By car: Take the A7 to Dreieck Hamburg-Nordwest, then the A23 to Heide-West and follow the B203 to Büsum.
By train: Travel to Heide, then take the Nordbahn to Büsum.
By bike: You can also travel by bicycle. Büsum is a stop on the approximately 6,000 km long North Sea Coastal Cycle Route (North Sea Cycle Route), which runs about 300 km along the coast through Schleswig-Holstein (starting from Meldorf).
Atractions
museum am meer
Am Fischereihafen 19
25761 Büsum
Phone: +49 (0) 4834 / 6734
Internet: www.museum-am-meer.de
Multimar Wattforum National Park Centre
Am Robbenberg
25832 Tönning
Phone: +49 (0)4861 / 9620 - 0
Email: info@multimar-wattforum.de
Internet: www.multimar-wattforum.de/
Nordseering Büsum
Outdoor Kartbahn
(Go-kart track)
Segeltörn 1
25761 Büsum
Phone: +49 (0)4834 / 9628962
Internet: www.nordseering.de
Trips by ship to heligoland
www.adler-eils.de/schiffstouren/helgoland/
Accommodation
Campsite "Zur Perle"
Dithmarscher Str. 43
25761 Büsum
Phone: +49 (0) 4834 / 60137
Email: info@campingplatz-zur-perle.de
Internet: www.campingplatz-zur-perle.de
Camping Nordsee
Dithmarscher Straße 41
25761 Büsum
Phone: +49 (0) 4834 / 2515
Email: camping-nordsee.buesum.@t-online.de
Internet: www.camping-nordsee.de
Motorhome Overnight Parking
Dr.-Martin-Bahr-Straße
25761 Büsum
Phone: +49 (0) 4834 / 9192
Email: info@wmv-buesum.de
Internet: www.wohnmobiluebernachtungsplatz.de
Youth Hostel Büsum
Dr.-Martin-Bahr-Straße 1
25761 Büsum
Phone: +49 (0)40 / 65599566
Internet: www.jugendherberge.de/nordmark/
Info about National Park Wadden Sea
museum am meer
Go-kart track
First lighthouse
Sea rescue cruiser
Harbor