Rantum

Rantum
Former municipality
now Ortsteil of Gemeinde Sylt
Rantum

Coordinates: 54°51′N 8°18′E / 54.850°N 8.300°ECoordinates: 54°51′N 8°18′E / 54.850°N 8.300°E
Country Germany
State Schleswig-Holstein
District Nordfriesland
Town Gemeinde Sylt
Area
 • Total 9.39 km2 (3.63 sq mi)
Population (2007-12-31)
 • Total 561
 • Density 60/km2 (150/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 25980
Dialling codes 0 46 51
Vehicle registration NF
Website www.gemeinde-sylt.de

Rantum (Sölring Frisian: Raantem) is a village and a former municipality on the island of Sylt in the district of Nordfriesland, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Since 1 January 2009, it has been an Ortsteil (part) of the municipality Sylt.

Etymology

The name is frequently connected to the marine goddess Rán (Rantum = Rán's place), yet it is more likely that the name derives from the old spelling of Raanteem, i.e. "settlement at the edge".

Geography

Rantum today is located at the narrowest part of the island with a width of only 600 metres.[1]:86

East of the village are the Rantum-Inge, an ample area of salt marshes and the Wadden Sea. To the west, beyond the dunes, the beach faces the open North Sea.

History

The small village of Rantum has a colourful history. The settlement was destroyed on multiple occasions by storm surges or was buried by sand drift.[1]:86

The oldest record of the name is found in a nautical chart from 1142, which is today displayed in Copenhagen. On the chart, the Rantum church Westerseekirche is noted as a daymark. It was called St. Peter. Since at the time only major churches would be consecrated to St. Peter, it is likely that Rantum was an influential town around 1100. There is, however, no proof for this thesis.

As Rantum was repeatedly destroyed by storm surges between 1362 and 1634 and had to be rebuilt in a different location, historical records are only preserved from the 17th century on.

Well into the 18th century, Rantum was a stronghold of wreckers who looted ships for a living.[1]:86–87

In 1801, the people of Rantum had to move the village due to encroachment by the dunes. In 1825, the new village was destroyed by a flood. The location of the village kept moving westward over time.[1]:86

In 1901, the Sylter Inselbahn linked Westerland and Hörnum via Rantum. It was abolished in 1970.[1]:105

Beginning in 1936, the Wehrmacht had a 568 hectare area of the wadden sea encircled by a dyke and flooded to create the Rantum Basin as a take-off and landing site for seaplanes.[1]:86

In 1977, the small Rantum Harbour was created from the remains of a naval air station pier as a tidally independent marina.

The municipality of Gemeinde Sylt was formed on 1 January 2009 by the merger of the former municipalities Rantum and Sylt-Ost with the town of Westerland. The debate on this move had started in 2003 when a similar merger happened on Fehmarn. However, local rivalries and desire for independence prevented progress for a time. It took the foundation of a citizens' movement Bürger für Sylt als Einheit to advance the plan. In separate referendums in 2008, Westerland (by a large majority) and Sylt-Ost (narrowly) agreed to the merger in May 2008. Rantum followed, but List, Kampen, Wenningstedt-Braderup and Hörnum remained aloof. In September 2008, the merger contract was signed.[2]

Sights

LORAN radiator at Rantum

Local sights include the Eidum decoy pond, which served for catching ducks. It is named after the village of Eidum which was drowned in a 1436 flood.[1]:88

Today, the Rantum Basin is a bird sanctuary with more than 60 species to be counted. Since 1962, this has been a protected nature preserve.[1]:88

Since 1993, the Sylt Quelle (Sylt Well) has been pumping mineral water containing iodine for bottling. This water is marketed across the island and can also be tapped on the spot by customers. The brand is offered by restaurants across Germany. In the adjacent Kunstraum, exhibitions, lectures, public discussions and stage plays take place. In addition, this has become the venue for the Meerkabarett, the Sea Cabaret, which annually features various artists during the summer season.[3]

The Wadden Sea Conservation Station (Schutzstation Wattenmeer) operates a branch office in Rantum which provides information on coastal management, the Wadden Sea, the salt marshes and offers guided mudflat hikings.

In Rantum there is an emitter of the LORAN {formerly operated by the US COAST GUARD} radio navigation system, using a 193 metre tall lattice tower mast radiator as an antenna. The regular service was ended on 31 December 2005.

Economy

Tourism is the main source of income.

Youth facilities

Rantum hosts the Weiße Zeltstadt (White Tent City) camp site. During the summer holidays, the Schleswig-Flensburg District Sports Association offers youth camps there. The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutsches Schleswig e.V operates a congress venue for youths and a summer school. In the southern part of the village, the Puan Klent youth resort is located.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Andersen, Christa Maria (2006). Merian Sylt (German). Travel House Media GmbH. ISBN 978-3-8342-0021-1.
  2. ↑ (German) "Die Metropole der Insel heißt jetzt Sylt". Hamburger Abendblatt. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Sylt Quelle". Sylt Quelle. Retrieved 7 April 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rantum (Sylt).