Husum is the capital of the Kreis (district) Nordfriesland in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The town was the birthplace of the novelist Theodor Storm, who coined the epithet "the grey town by the sea". It is also the home of the annual international piano festival Raritäten der Klaviermusik (Rarities of Piano Music) founded in 1986.

History

Husum was first mentioned as Husembro in 1252, when king Abel was murdered. Like most towns on the North Sea, Husum was always strongly influenced by storm tides. In 1362 a disastrous storm tide, the "Grote Mandrenke" flooded the town and carved out the inland harbour. Before this date Husum was not situated directly on the coast. The people of the city took advantage of this opportunity and built a marketplace, which led to a great economic upturn. Between 1372 and 1398 the population of Husum grew rapidly, and two villages, Oster-Husum (East-Husum) and Wester-Husum (West-Husum), were founded. The name Husum is first mentioned in 1409. It is shown on the Carta Marina in the Frisian form of Husem. Its first church was built in 1431. Wisby rights were granted it in 1582, and in 1603 it received municipal privileges from Alexander, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg. It suffered greatly from inundations in 1634 and 1717.

Geography

Husum is located on the North Sea by the Bay of Husum; 82 km W of Kiel, 139 km NW of Hamburg and 43 km SW of Flensburg.

Subdivisions

Culture

Being a tourist resort and the gateway to the North Frisian Islands, Husum offers many cultural features.

Festival Raritäten der Klaviermusik

This international festival of rare piano music, specialising in unknown classical piano music, was founded in 1986 by Peter Froundjian, and takes place in the town's castle.

Museums

The Theodor-Storm-Haus (Wasserreihe 31) was the house of Theodor Storm. It is home to an exhibition about the novelist and his works. The Schifffahrtsmuseum Nordfriesland (Zingel 15) shows ships from the Middle Ages to the present. The models on display give a good impression of life on the coast and at sea. The Ostenfelder Bauernhaus (Nordhusumer Str.13) is an old farmhouse and the oldest open-air museum in Germany.

Sights

Clubs

Husum is also home of two football clubs, the Husumer SV and the Rödemisser SV. Husum Cricket Club is based at the Mikkelberg-Kunst-und-Cricket Center which has in the past hosted international women's cricket matches. The ground is located in nearby Hattstedt.

Twinning

Husum is twinned with:

Infrastructure

Husum station is located on the Westerland–Hamburg line (Marsh Railway), the Husum–Bad St. Peter-Ording line to the Eiderstedt peninsula and the Husum–Jübek line, which connects to the Neumünster–Flensburg line and Kiel.

Education

Grammar schools

High schools

Elementary schools

Notable people

Sport

Sources