Hamburger Hallig

Hamburger Hallig is an area on the westcoast of Nordfriesland district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, that is not protected by sea dikes. It is therefore counted among the Halligen islands.HistoryThe island was named after two merchants from Hamburg, the brothers Rudolf and Arnold Amsinck. They were granted a privilege to purchase and maintain land in the northeastern area of Strand island, where they constructed dikes in the years 1624 to 1628. The newly secured land was called the Amsinck polder. However, the Burchardi Flood of 1634 destroyed the dikes, leaving only one artificial dwelling hill with "Hamburger Haus" on it intact. Afterwards the dikes were restored at high financial costs. In 1661, the house was torn down and replaced by a smaller building. In 1711, the island had again become an undiked Hallig. It remained property of the Amsick family until 1760.The name "Hamburger Hallig" was first recorded in 1781. The house on the island was eventually destroyed in the February flood of 1825.In 1855 a causeway was planned to connect the island with mainland North Frisia. It was built in 1859/60 but it broke already in 1860. In 1866/7, a fascine dam was constructed between the Bordelum sluice and Hamburger Hallig. This dam was paved in 1874 and got a spillover vent, which was removed though in 1875. The interruption of tidal current by the causeway led to a considerable increase in sedimentation on both side of the dam. The experience gained from the construction of the Hamburger Hallig dam became influential for the further development of land reclamation in North Frisia. In 1878, the fiscal authority purchased the Hallig and leased it to local farmers. In 1880, an artesian well was constructed on the island, and the causeway became traversable in 1901.