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.

History and geography

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.

Geographical history

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.

Büsum (Amt Kirchspielslandgemeinde)

Kirchspielslandgemeinde Büsum was an Amt ("collective municipality"), located in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. On 25 May 2008, it merged with the Amt Kirchspielslandgemeinde Wesselburen and the town Wesselburen to form the Amt Büsum-Wesselburen. It had its seat in Büsum and consisted of the following municipalities:

(Population on September 30, 2005)

Coat of arms

The coat of arms depicts Saint Clement, patron saint of sailors and fishermen and eponym of the Sankt Clemens church in Büsum.