| Borkum | |
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  Borkum
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| Administration | |
| Country | Germany |
|---|---|
| State | Lower Saxony |
| District | Leer |
| Mayor | Kristin Mahlitz (Ind.) |
| Basic statistics | |
| Area | 30.74 km2 (11.87 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Population | 5,547 (31 December 2006) |
| - Density | 180 /km2 (467 /sq mi) |
| Other information | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) |
| Licence plate | LER |
| Postal code | 26757 |
| Area codes | 0 49 22 |
| Website | www.stadt-borkum.de |
Borkum is an island and a municipality in the Leer District in Lower Saxony, northwestern Germany.
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Geography
Borkum is bordered to the west by the Westereems strait (which forms the border with the Netherlands), to the east by the Osterems strait, to the north by the North Sea, and to the south by the Wadden Sea. It is the largest and westernmost of the East Frisian Islands in the North Sea, due north of the Dutch province of Groningen.
The island was formed by two previously separate islands which were still separated by a shallow water in 1863. The seam between the former eastern and western parts is called Tüskendör ("through in between").
History
On 19 and 20 December 1934, Wernher von Braun launched "Max" and "Moritz", the two prototypes of the A2-rocket. Lager Borkum, the Nazi labour camp on Alderney was named after the island.
A number of former German soldiers of the 216th Marine-Flak-Abeitlung (Naval Flak Battalion) were tried for war crimes by the Dachau International Military Tribunal, from February 6 to March 21, 1946 (US v Kurt Goebell et al.). They were charged with the unlawful execution of seven United States Army Air Forces personnel who had survived the crash of their damaged B-17 Flying Fortress on the island on April 8, 1944.
In "Mexico as I saw it", published by Thomas Nelson, Mrs Alec Tweedie, writing in 1911 about a trip of 1900 to Mexico, compares the brick roads of Monterey with those of Borkum, "the one spot on earth from which Jews are banished". This has to do with the aggressive and successful campaign of German tourists to keep Borkum free from Jewish visitors, as celebrated in the antisemitic "Borkum-Lied".
Transportation
The island is partially car-free. Off-season, driving by car is permitted everywhere, otherwise there are car-free zones. The only town on the island is also called Borkum. There is an air field in the Tüskendör area. Borkum is serviced by ferries from Emden, Germany and Eemshaven, The Netherlands. Passengers get a free train ride between the harbour and the town of Borkum.
External links
- Official site (German)
- Official site (English)
- Further information (German)
- Web-Directory with the topic Borkum (German)
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