Büsum

Büsum () is a fishing and tourist town in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated on the North Sea coast, approx. 18 km southwest of Heide. Büsum is also the administrative seat of the Amt ("collective municipality") Büsum-Wesselburen. The first documented mention of Büsum (as an island) dates from the year 1140. The island's name on medieval documents changed several times from the original Bivsne (1140) to Busin (1208), Busen (1281), and Buzen (1447). Büsum's medieval history has been documented through the chronicles of Neocorus (Johannes Adolph Köster), a pastor and teacher in Büsum during the 16th century. During medieval times, Büsum was an island with three villages, Süderdorp, Middeldorp and Norddorp. Devastating floods in 1362 (Grote Mandrenke), 1436, and 1570 (All Saint's Flood) drowned most of the island and destroyed the two settlements Süderdorp and Middeldorp. The former Norddorp with the St. Clemens church nowadays forms the old core of the town Büsum. In 1585, the island was connected with the mainland through the building of a dam. Subsequent deposits of sediment by the sea created new land, which was further secured through dikes. Storm floods continued to take their toll as documented in the St. Clemens church with a tabloid commemorating the Burchardi flood of 1634 flood, which killed 168 people and destroyed 102 homes in Büsum. During the devastating Christmas flood of 1717, the village Werven near Büsum sank completely. The last great flood happened during February 1825. Since then, the improved dikes have been able to protect the town from storm tides. The island of Büsum was originally beholden to the bishopric of Hamburg and Bremen before Dithmarschen became a confederated peasant's republic. From 1559 until 1867, Büsum (and Dithmarschen) were Danish territory and subsequently became part of Prussia. After World War II, Büsum was part of the British Zone until 1955. During medieval times, Büsum was frequently visited by traders of the Hanseatic League.