Rural Europe on the move English_chap7_13 | Page 30

CHAPTER 9
the Hallig was taken over by the
federal state of Schleswig Holstein
and became a nature reserve, a
resting place for migrant birds passing
in spring and autumn through the
region. “Is it possible that an island
like Pellworm lies a metre ‘below’ sea
level?” Flora asks on our walk back
to Pellworm. “Yes it is. Just imagine
you put a light soup plate to swim
on calm water surface,” I reply, “the
water does not flow into the lower part.
But if just a little wave of water would
THIS PAGE
6a. North Frisian Coastline
before the flood of 1634
6b. and today with dates
of established dikes
OPPOSITE
7. View from Pellworm lighthouse
get over the rim, it immediately sinks.
Living below
sea level...?
While Nele’s house is built on a warft
six metres above sea level, the land of
Pellworm island has been sinking over
Lorenz and his cousins listen centuries and needed to be protected
amazed. I just met the youngsters by dikes against floods. The dikes are
between the ages of 11 and 15 on now eight metres high. If Pellworm had
our low tide walk to Süderoog. They no dikes all around, every six hours the
have come alone. “Our parents work North Sea tide would flood the plate.
in Berlin and Bremerhaven. We have Pellworm and Süderoog are part of
been on Pellworm island for holidays the small islands group left over from
since we are able to swim. That was the the big flood of 1634 when thousands
condition of our grandparents before of people died and the North Frisian
agreeing to take care of us. We meet as coast was torn into small pieces. Like
big family with relatives here. We love the Netherlands, with most of the land
this life of freedom in nature.” below sea level we need strong coastal
They remind me of times not long
after the second world war when
Süderoog island, then owned by a
protection, even more so with climate
change and rising sea levels.”
We reach the dikes of Pellworm.
German-Swedish couple, welcomed Süderoog now is just a tiny mouse at
children of their age from across the horizon. The tidal gutters are filling
Europe to experience a life close quickly, the tide is coming in. A long
to nature. You could call it an early
European Erasmus programme. As
a boy I was on the Hallig in 1964 and
learned how to go fishing, make hay,
milk cows, make butter and work
with horses. It was fun speaking our
imaginative language to understand
each other. English was not ‘lingua
franca’ at that time. Later, in the 1980s
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“With most of the land
below sea level
we need strong coastal
protection, even more
so with climate change
and rising sea levels."