East Frisia - Ostfriesland

Pilsum lighthouse

The holiday region Ostfriesland located in Lower Saxony in the extreme northwest of Germany. East Frisia impresses with its green, unwooded areas inland and its coast to the North Sea.

The main attractions here are the bathing and sluice areas and the upstream ones East Frisian Islands. With more than 90 historically significant organs from six centuries, the organ landscape of East Friesland is one of the richest in the world. One of the more than two hundred historical churches has the most crooked tower in the world (Suurhusen church near Emden). Located in the municipality of Südbrookmerland Great sea With the exception of a few deeper spots, it is only 0.5 to 1.0 meters deep and has therefore become known nationwide as a surf school. The comparatively small Pilsum lighthouse was made into what is probably the most famous landmark in East Frisia by the comedian Otto Waalkes, son of the city of Emden.

Regions

Subregions

East Frisia consists of the districts of Aurich, Leer and Wittmund and the city Emden (light green). In the spelling Ost-Friesland (with a hyphen), however, the entire East Frisian peninsula is included. This also consists of the district of Friesland and the city Wilhelmshaven - the Oldenburg Friesland (dark green). Detailed explanations at Wikipedia.

The district Ammerland, which has also joined the Ostfriesland tourist brand, is not included in this article.

places

Cities

Naval Museum in Wilhelmshaven

• Aurich

The district town of Aurich, which has around 40,000 inhabitants, has a beautiful town center, which consists of a market square and the pedestrian zone (Burgstrasse). Important tourist stops in the city are, for example, the futuristic-looking one on the market square Sous tower, the Lamberti Church, the Historical museum, the Stiftsmühle (Windmill) as well as that City Palacewhich now houses the courts. The small one can be found on Georgwall Pingelhus (loosely translated: bell house). In small port Excursion boats to the region (e.g. Emden) start from Aurich. The is located in front of the northern gates of the city, in the direction of Dornum Aurich-Tannenhausen local recreation area with a quarry pond, which is used by many locals for summer swimming.

• Emden

Emden is the largest city in East Frisia with more than 51,000 inhabitants. The buildings worth seeing include the following town hall, the Water tower and the historic building of the Johannes a Lasco Librarywhich is home to a publicly accessible humanities / theological book collection. Furthermore, the Art Gallery with paintings and objets d'art especially of recent history as well as the cultural-historical East Frisian State Museum. That is also widely known Otto-Huuswhich houses a shop on the ground floor and a small museum of the Emden comedian Otto Waalkes on the upper floor. The city's strong maritime connection is not only due to the one in the center of the city Council Delft (City harbor), but also through the outer harbor and the ones that still exist Shipyard facilitieswhich, however, are only used for ship repairs.

• Esens
• Jever (belongs to East Friesland) with its castle museum and the Jever brewery, which can also be visited.
• Empty
• north
• Schortens (state-approved resort, belongs to East Friesland) is known for the forest Upjever and the monastery park with the monastery tower ruins.
• Varel
• Weener
• Wiesmoor
• Wittmund

Inland locations

• Dornum with its moated castle, which is now a school.
• Luetetsburg (Village east of the city north) with the Lütetsburg Castle Park. - The moated castle is not accessible, but the large park is (entry 2 €; Park side).
• Gödens Castle with its moated castle you can visit events (like the country party).

Seaside resorts / North Sea spas and other coastal resorts

A Siel refers to a closable water passage in a dike, which is used to drain the inland. Many of the regional coastal towns therefore have "-siel" in their name.

• Bensersiel (North Sea Spa)

The place is a lively tourist stronghold northwest of Esens with a sandy beach, numerous accommodations and leisure opportunities. The port of Bensersiel offers ferry connections to the island of Langeoog.

• Carolinensiel The North Sea Spa Carolinensiel was already in the 18th and 19th. Century the second largest trading port on the North Sea coast and has therefore not only dedicated itself to the tourism industry. The advantage is that it is not just a tourist destination, but rather the city has grown naturally and has numerous shops for daily needs. This is probably the secret that - unlike in some other seaside resorts - there is "life" there even outside the tourist season. The special thing about Carolinensiel are the 3 harbors. Carolinensiel has a popular (car-free) promenade along the Harle, which begins in the center of the village at the old Sieltor with the museum harbor and leads past the large marina to the outer lock. The ferry port in Carolinensiel-Harlesiel is then behind the outer lock. From here, the island of Wangerooge can be reached by ferry. Harlesiel Airport is located next to the ferry port. From here you can fly to the islands or book sightseeing flights.

• Dangast (belongs to East Friesland) artist and seaside resort with sculptures and similar art objects. In addition, the beach of Dangast can be reached without having to go over a dike, as the place is located on a ridge.

• Dornumersiel

• Greetsiel A pretty fishing port with a lot of tourists and a cozy Frisian village and national park house (with exhibition on the Wadden Sea habitat). Today Greetsiel is no longer by the sea, but a few kilometers inland

• Horumersiel (belongs to East Friesland)

• Hooksiel (belongs to East Friesland)

• Krummhörn is known for its many historic churches and organs, but also for the largest and smallest lighthouse in Germany.

• Neßmersiel

• Neuharlingersiel (North Sea Spa)

• North dike (North Sea Spa since 2010)

The city of Norden and the lively Norddeich merge almost imperceptibly. The coastal town, which is characterized by tourism, attracts with a sandy beach and a variety of entertainment options. There are ferry connections to Norderney and Juist.

Other goals

• East Frisian Islands: The islands in the Wadden Sea form the tourist "backbone" of the region. Each of the islands has its own charms and is a popular destination.

• Recreation area South Brookmerland

• Großefehn - If you are looking for peace and quiet, you are at the right place in this fen landscape in the heart of East Frisia. The canals with their white bascule bridges and of course the windmills are characteristic of the wide meadow landscape of the Fehntjer Tief. There are 5 of them in Großefehn. Worth seeing is z. B. the windmill "Onken" in Westgroßefehn, which is not far from the Fehnmuseum Eiland. The museum provides information about the history of the peat bog development due to peat extraction. The flat landscape is ideal for cycling and paddling on the canals.

language

The East Frisian Platt is widespread and is spoken in both private and professional life (among colleagues). Of course, (almost) every East Frisian of High German is powerful. Older indigenous people who grew up exclusively with Platt in earlier times should, however, overlook one or the other grammatical missteps. Low German is more than a dialect. The grammar differs from standard German and sometimes resembles something in the middle between German, Dutch and English in terms of vocabulary. Almost every village or smaller region has its own peculiarities. Some say "prooten", others "snap" when they mean "speak".

You are greeted with until late in the evening Hello. This is not called Good Morning understood, but presumably derives from Mojen Daag (Nice day) from. It is not uncommon to greet strangers in this way, e.g. pedestrians oncoming on a narrow path. Therefore, even as a tourist, you should be prepared for a response to the greeting. By the way, from the evening onwards, East Frisians may also want one Good evening, mostly on Low German, which is still a widely spoken everyday language.

getting there

Ostfriesland is connected to regional and long-distance traffic via Oldenburg (connections from Leipzig, Braunschweig, partly also from Berlin) and Münster (connections from Koblenz, Cologne and the Ruhr area) via the Norddeich - Emden - Leer railway line. Rastede, Varel and finally Wilhelmshaven can also be reached from Oldenburg. From this stretch the branches in Sande RB 59 to Esens via Sanderbusch, Jever, Wittmund and Burhafe.

Motorists are also well connected to the region via the A 31, A 28 and A 29 motorways and the Dutch A 7. East Frisia can be reached by plane, e.g. via Bremen.

Transport links

mobility

Public transport

Transport network

Local public transport in East Frisia is in Ems-Jade transport association organized. The network covers the entire coastal region between Emden and Wilhelmshaven including the city of Leer.

Bus transport

• An attractive offer for guests of the region is the Tourist bus. For just one euro, you can get a discounted single ticket on presentation of your spa or guest card regardless of the length of the route. The offer is valid daily from 9 a.m. on all bus routes of the Ems-Jade transport association between March 15 and October 31. The tariff only does not apply on the day of arrival and departure of the holiday (as of 10/2010).
• Further information (including a route network map) can be found on the bus offer under www.urlauberbus.info to find.
• The transport to and from party locations takes care of the Saturday night night owl for the price of 5 €. (As of 08/2014)

Rail transport

• The East Frisian Coast RailwayRB 59 the NordWestBahn GmbH runs daily every hour on the route Wilhelmshaven - Sande - Sanderbusch - Schortens - Jever - Wittmund - Burhafe - Esens.
• During the summer season and in the run-up to Christmas, the section of the East Frisian Coast Railway North - Lütetsburg - Dornum is used on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays in Lower Saxony MKO e. V. operated as a museum railway in tourism.
• There are other local transport connections between Leer and Norddeich Mole and between Oldenburg and Wilhelmshaven.
• Intercity trains can also be used between Oldenburg, Leer, Emden and Norddeich Mole at local transport rates.

Tourist Attractions

Museums

Regionally important museums:

• Museums in Wilhelmshaven like that German Coastal Museum and the German Naval Museum. There is also an aquarium and the Wadden Sea House on the 1.6 km long "Maritime Mile" or "South Beach" near the city center. North of the city, the information center of the Jade-Weser-Port is worth seeing. The information center at the port shows an exhibition with an insight into modern container shipping and international transport logistics.

• Moordorf Moor Museum in South Brookmerland west of Aurich. Among other things, peat is extracted there.

• Leeraner miniature wonderland - East Frisia is shown on a scale of 1:87 on a model area of ​​more than 1500 m². Of course, a railway is also integrated. The islands of Norderney, Borkum and Juist were also modeled.

• Museum railway coastal railway East Friesland - Voluntarily operated museum railway between Dornum and the north.

• Art gallery Emden
• Bünting Tea Museum - Located in the middle of the historic old town of Leer, the cultural history of the famous East Frisian tea is presented here.

Natural sights

Eternal sea

• Eternal sea - The inland lake, which is completely under nature protection, has extensive raised bog zones. The water, which is only 2 to 3 m deep, has very nutrient-poor water in which only little life is possible. With the exception of a paved path on the north side, the approximately 1500 x 800 m measuring water is not accessible. From the parking lot at 53.55523, 7.42882name is missing53 ° 33 '19 "N.7 ° 25 ′ 44 ″ E the walk is about 2.5 km long. Information boards on the jetty explain flora and fauna. Caution: Do not leave the jetty: On the one hand, to avoid destroying nature, but on the other hand, also to avoid encountering adders. The shy, native poisonous snake species lives in the area (note also here). Since the boardwalk can sometimes become very slippery when wet, sturdy footwear is recommended. In the area of ​​the parking lot there is also a place to stop for a break coffee shop and on the short stretch in the direction of Bohlenweg there is a small private zoo owned by a local resident, in which there are cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep, goats and other small animals.

• Neuchâtel jungle - The 48 hectare primeval forest area is located in the "Neuburger Holz" forest area about 12 km west of Varel. From the two hiking car parks listed below, you walk less than a kilometer to the middle of the jungle:

- At the county road 202 south of Zetel bei 53.40377, 7.97889name is missing53 ° 24 '14 "N.7 ° 58 ′ 44 ″ E

- On federal highway 437 at the eastern entrance to Neuchâtel. There are just a few steps from the parking lot with the Restaurant-Cafe Urwaldhof Incidentally, a cozy refreshment stop.

Further

• Walkable wind turbine in Westerholt.
• Seal rearing station in Norddeich, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The feeding at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. is particularly interesting for children. (Land) dogs are not allowed in and seals are not allowed.

activities

• Boßeln: If you are driving your car at the weekend, you shouldn't be surprised to meet East Frisians in the middle of the street and in flowing traffic who practice a sport together: Boßeln. Two opposing teams throw a wooden or rubber ball across the street with the aim of covering a certain distance with fewer throws than the opponent. This is not a fun pastime, but a serious sport with various leagues and sometimes also international matches. The interested East Frisian will find the results of the competitions, which usually take place on Sunday mornings, in the regional newspapers the next day. Boßeln should not be confused with "Klootschießen", even if the word "Klootsch (g) eten" is misleading on Platt when Boßeln is meant. Drivers should steer their vehicle slowly through the group when they encounter a group of bosses and pay attention to the individual athletes, who in the heat of the moment sometimes have more eyes for the rolling ball than for the road traffic. A rolling ball should be avoided.

• To go biking - There are many opportunities for cycling in East Frisia. A central route is e.g. B. the approximately 80 km long Ems-Jade-Weg, which largely follows the canal of the same name Emden, above Aurich to Wilhelmshaven follows.

• Mudflat hiking Guided hikes through the mudflats are offered to and from the islands, which can be seen twice a day depending on the tide. Because of sharp-edged stones, shells and unfortunately also broken glass that are in the mud flats, you should wear something on your feet (thick socks, old shoes). Warning: never hike too far into the Wadden Sea or even to the islands on your own! When the weather changes, fog can form and one wander around disoriented and when the tide rises. This can be life threatening. Trained mudflat guides know their way around, have bandages and a radio with them in case of an emergency and can also tell a lot about the mudflat and its animal inhabitants.

• Easter fire Public and private Easter bonfires take place throughout the region on Easter Saturdays in the evenings. During the larger Easter bonfires, physical well-being is also taken care of.

kitchen

Regional specialties are, for example, Grönkohl and Labskaus (kale and Labskaus, but are generally cooked in northern Germany), Klütje (yeast dough dumplings with sweet sauce), Updrögt Bohnen (dried beans), Dörstampt Wuddels (carrots and potatoes, mashed), Karmelkbree (buttermilk porridge) , Prüllkes (yeast dough biscuits) and Neejohrskoken or Krüllkuchen (waffle biscuits that are baked around the turn of the year). More about the kitchen can be found on Eating and drinking in East Frisia. Some typical Frisian dishes are on the Koch Wiki to find.

East Frisians are well known tea drinkers. With Kluntje (sugar crystals) and cream, of course. In households where things are "like in the old days", tea is drunk several times a day (for breakfast, at 10 o'clock, in the afternoon, in the evening). A tip: when you've had enough tea, put the spoon in the cup. This is the sign for "I don't want to anymore" because the spoon has no other purpose.

accommodation

Typically, tourists are accommodated in holiday apartments and guest houses or hotels. Of course there are also numerous campsites. The campsite in Upleward near Greetsiel has recently received the Camping Info Award 2021. Info under https://www.camping-am-deich.de/upleward But also due to the Corona crisis, self-sufficient vacation rentals are on the rise again. Here, guests have the opportunity to enjoy their vacation outside of the crowds in hotels. Fishing villages such as Greetsiel, Neßmersiel, Dornumersiel are particularly worth mentioning here. In Greetsiel, for example, you like to book through local smaller providers who still offer personal service and can be contacted at any time. Book exclusive holiday houses and apartments in Greetsiel Most also offer the new standards in the area of ​​hygiene concepts and disinfection in corona times, as well as contactless key handover.

nightlife

Lively pubs can be found predominantly in the larger inner cities of Aurich, Emden, Esens, Jever, Wilhelmshaven and Wittmund. Sometimes you can also find smaller discos with all-round music. The large discos in the East Friesland catchment area, on the other hand, are located in a more secluded rural location. East Frisians are used to the long way to reach their party location by car or night bus to take on. All dance halls are listed below.

Large discos with several dance floors

Over 30 discos

Metas music shed is a restaurant with a historical background that has achieved cult status beyond the borders of East Frisia. The landlady - an East Frisian original - became the musical posthumously Meta, north dike dedicated, which from 2010 to 2012 became the most successful performance of all time by the Landesbühne Niedersachsen Nord.
More about the landlady
More about the musical

Small discos

climate

The weather in East Frisia can change quickly, but one thing is constant: the fresh wind. You will rarely experience a windless day. This makes summer heat more bearable. In addition, it is often rainy, so it is advisable to bring good jackets with you.

trips

• Day trip to Heligoland - From Wilhelmshaven you can take the seaside resort ship "MS Helgoland" to the only German offshore island with its famous red sandstone cliffs. Information about the day cruise can be found at www.helgolandlinie.de.

After the sale of the "Polarstern" catamaran, the connection between Emden - Borkum / Juist / Norderney - Helgoland no longer exists. This means that there are currently (2010) no ship connections to Heligoland from the area of ​​the East Frisian Islands.

• Day trips to the East Frisian Islands Ferries to the East Frisian islands leave several times a day from the coastal towns. Some islands can also be reached by propeller plane.
• East Frisian Coast Railway The East Frisian Coastal Railway is a regional railway line which, viewed over its entire length, runs from the north via Dornum, Esens, Wittmund and Jever to Wilhelmshaven. On the section north - Dornum the railway line is run by the association Coastal Railway East Friesland (MKO) on Sundays and public holidays during the summer season as a museum railway with historical vehicles, which also have bicycle compartments and dining cars. On the Esens - Wittmund - Jever - Wilhelmshaven section, regular local rail transport takes place on the RB59 line.

literature

• Karl Cramer - The history of East Frisia. An overview, Isensee - Oldenburg
• Karl-Ernst Behre, Hajo van Lengen: East Frisia. History and shape of a cultural landscape, Aurich 1995, ISBN 3-925365-85-0
• Hermann Homann: East Friesland - islands, mud flats and coastal areas, F. Coppenrath Verlag, Münster
• Onno Klopp: History of East Frisia, 3 vols., Hanover 1854-1858
• Stefan Kröger: The Ostfriesland Lexicon. An entertaining reference work, Isensee Verlag, Oldenburg 2006
• Franz Kurowski: The people by the sea - The dramatic history of the Frisians, Türmer-Verlag 1984, ISBN 3-87829-082-9
• Hajo van Lengen - East Frisia, Culture and Landscape, Ruhrspiegel-Verlag, Essen 1978
• Hajo van Lengen (Ed.): The Frisian Freedom of the Middle Ages - Life and Legend, Verlag Ostfriesische Landschaft 2003, ISBN 3-932206-30-4
• Herbert Reyer: East Friesland in the Third Reich - The Beginnings of National Socialist Tyranny in the District of Aurich 1933–1938, Aurich 1992, Ostfriesische Landschaftliche Verlags- und Vertriebsgesellschaft mbh
• Tielke, Martin (Ed.): - Biographical lexicon for Ostfriesland, Ostfries. Landschaftliche Verl.- u. Vertriebsges. Aurich, vol. 1 ISBN 3-925365-75-3 (1993), Vol. 2 ISBN 3-932206-00-2 (1997), Vol. 3 ISBN 3-932206-22-3 (2001)
• East Frisia under the protection of the dike. Contributions to the cultural and economic history of the East Frisian coastal region, ed. commissioned by Niederemsische Deichacht, 12 volumes, self-published, Pewsum and others. 1969
• Ostendorf, Helga: Understanding East Frisia. Reports from a strange country. Berlin 2013 (epubli).

Web links

• http://www.ostfriesland.de - Official website of East Frisia

53 ° 28 ′ N. 7 ° 29 ′ E

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