Büsum

Büsum is a fishing and tourist town of 5,000 people (2018) in the district (Landkreis) of Dithmarschen, on the North Sea coast, in Schleswig Holstein. Büsum is a popular summer vacation spot for families and day trips from Hamburg, and nearly all of Büsum's tourists are Germans. In the summer months, the inhabitants of Büsum are vastly outnumbered by tourists staying in the town for a few days or a few weeks.

Understand
Büsum as a fishing town is primarily known for its specialty Büsumer Krabben (North Sea shrimp, Crangon crangon), which are processed and canned for sale.

History
The first documented mention of Büsum (as an island) dates from the year 1140. During medieval times, Büsum was an island with three villages, Süderdorp, Middeldorp and Norddorp. Devastating floods in 1362, 1436, and 1570 drowned most of the island and destroyed Süderdorp and Middeldorp. The former Norddorp forms the old core of the town Büsum.

During medieval times, Büsum was frequently visited by traders of the Hanseatic League. The people of the comparatively poor island Büsum often resorted to piracy to better their lives, resulting in repeated conflicts. In 1420, men from Büsum sailed into the harbour of Hamburg to scuttle and loot Hanseatic trading ships. In retaliation, the Hamburgers pillaged and burned the island's church in Middeldorp. The new church was built in Norddorp and furnished with several items looted from the island Pellworm by the pirate Cord Widderich.

In 1585, the island was connected with the mainland by 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: the flood of 1634 killed 168 people and destroyed 102 homes. During the flood of 1717, Werven village near Büsum sank completely. The last great flood happened in 1825. But even as storm-floods have gotten higher since then improved dikes have protected the town from storm tides.

From 1559 until 1867, Büsum (and Dithmarschen) were Danish territory, and then became part of Prussia. Since 1818, Büsum has been used as a spa town visited for the healing effects of the seawater and the mudflats of the Wadden Sea. It gained official Nordseebad (North Sea spa) status in 1837. To accommodate spa guests, Büsum was connected to the railway network by the Heide–Büsum railway in 1883.

During World War II, the shipyard and harbor in Büsum were used by the Kriegsmarine, making it a target for an air raid. Büsum was bombed on May 4, 1945, the day German troops surrendered in northern Germany and thus the last day of war in the region. Nine people lost their lives, 19 were injured, and five houses were completely destroyed.

By boat
Büsum is among the points on the German mainland offering service to Heligoland

Get around
The town is quite small and you should have no major problems navigating it. Most points of interest are close to one another

Do

 * From the harbour of Büsum, tourists can take trips to the sea, either for pleasure or fishing, as nature trips along the Wadden Sea National Parks, or to the island Helgoland.
 * From the harbour of Büsum, tourists can take trips to the sea, either for pleasure or fishing, as nature trips along the Wadden Sea National Parks, or to the island Helgoland.
 * From the harbour of Büsum, tourists can take trips to the sea, either for pleasure or fishing, as nature trips along the Wadden Sea National Parks, or to the island Helgoland.

Eat
Büsum is famous for Krabben (Crangon crangon) caught in the sea and landed here, and you can certainly buy it right off the boat (cooked on the boat to avoid spoilage, but you'll have to remove the carapace yourself).

Additionally you can buy fresh fish from the local market.