Arnis

Arnis is the smallest town in Germany both by population and by area. At a population of c. 300 and a total area of 0.45 km2, Arnis is part of the Amt Kappeln-Land in the district of Schleswig-Flensburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It was founded in 1667 by shipping families from the nearby village Kappeln who wanted to avoid serfdom. The local Skipper's Church was erected in 1673. Originally Arnis was a skipper town with up to 90 sailing-ships (1864). In the late 20th century four shipyards were the basis of its economy. Today Arnis is a tourism showplace.HistoryOriginally Arnis was a peninsula in the fjord-like Schlei. During the conflicts with the Counts of Schauenburg and Holstein and the Hanseatic League about the status of Schleswig the Danish king Eric of Pomerania ordered in 1415 the construction of two primitive castles in the Schlei, Schwonsburg and the opposite height of the today cemetery of Arnis. For better defence the isthmus between Arnis and Angeln was cut. Arnis became an island.In 1666 the nobleman Detlef von Rumohr tried to press the families of the nearby village Kappeln into serfdom. They had fought before against this noble family and now asked the Duke Christian Albrecht to help them. Because Detlef von Rumohr was an ally of the Danish King Duke Christian Albrecht responded positive – he hoped to debilitate a political enemy. Kappeln skippers were successful, so he also hoped to establish a new prosperous port on his land and offered the island of Arnis as the place for a new settlement. To support this project he granted a charter of twenty privileges („Arnisser Privileg“) to the families of Kappeln.