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Heligoland

Island of Heligoland
1773–1814 to Denmark
1814–1890 to Great Britain
1890–1945 to the German Empire
ince 1952 to the FRG (to the District of Pinneberg in the Country of Schleswig-Holstein)

• Flag

• historical Flags

• Meaning/Origin of the Flag

• Coat of Arms

• Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

• Map

• Numbers and Facts

• History

• Origin of the Country's Name

historical Flags

1773–1814,
Heliogland belongs to Denmark,
Source, by: Corel Draw 4

1814–1890,
Flag of Heligloand,
Source, by: Wikipedia (D)

The flag of Heligoland shows three horizontal stripes in green red and white. The colours have their roots in the crest of the island. The coat of arms of Heligoland shows a two-fold splited shield in green, red and silver (white). It was awarded to the island in 1696 by the Duke of Schleswig, and should go back to a ship's flag. About the meaning of the colours you often hear the saying: "Green is the land, red is the edge, white is the sand: these are the colors of Heligoland." However, this expression dates from the 19th Century, is thus younger than the colours themselves, so it was given to the colours as their meaning later. The flag, if it was used, was not longer allowed from 1773, because Heligoland, as a part of Schleswig, became Danish . After the Peace of Kiel, Heligoland was officially ceded by Denmark to the United Kingdom, and a flag in the colors of the island was hoisted, which showed the British Union Jack in the upper corner. In the year 1890, Heligoland was ceded from Great Britain to the German Empire by the Helgloland-Zanzibar-Treaty, and the Union Jack was removed from the flag, and they keeped the flag with the three stripes in green, red and white to the present days.

Source: Wikipedia (D)

Coat of Arms

Coat of arms of Heligoland,
Source, by: Wikipedia (D)

Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of Heligoland shows a two-fold splited shield in green, red and silver (white). It was awarded to the island in 1696 by the Duke of Schleswig, and should go back to a ship's flag. About the meaning of the colors you often hear the saying: "Green is the land, red is the edge, white is the sand: these are the colors of Heligoland." However, this expression dates from the 19th Century, is thus younger than the colours themselves, so it was given to the colours as their meaning later.

Source: Wikipedia (D)

Map

Source: Historical Atlas of Modern Europe, 1902, by R. Lane Poole

The historical map shows the position of Heligoland in the German Sea, in the west of the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein.

Numbers and Facts

Area: 0,617 square miles

Inhabitants: 1.131 (2011)

Density of Population: 1.656 inh./sq.mi. (2011)

Religions: 77% Protestant, 13% Roman Catholic

Official Languages: German, Halunder (Heligoland Frisian)

Currency to 1875: 1 Hamburger Mark = 16 Schillinge

Currency from 1875: German Currency

English parallel currency 1875–1890: 1 Shilling = 12 Pence = 48 Farthings

Time Zone: GMT + 1 h

Source: Wikipedia (D)

History

The Greeks called Heligoland probably "Basilea", the Celts "Abalus", and the Romans probably called it "Glaesaria". It was obviously a significant cultural home, and was known for its large-scaled temples, and got thats why the name Holy Land ("Helge Land"). In any case, Heligoland was formerly about two hundred times larger and densely populated. Probably in the 9th century Heligoland lost about 85% of its land area by a devastating storm surge, and the in the 12th century it lost again ca. 80% of its land area, and after than it consisted of two islands, namely Heligoland and Suedstrand (South Beach). Suedstrand sank in the great flood of 1362. A map of 1649 from the cartographer Johannes Mejer from Husum shows details. The hitherto existing remnant of Helgoland was divided in the New Year's Eve 1720/1721 by a storm surge, and the Island of Dune was separated from the mainland.

Source: www.eichner-dresden.de

1721 · King Frederick IV. of Denmark confiscates Schleswig as a forfeited Danish fiefdom, the Duchy of Schleswig comes back to the Danish kings, the to this date to Holstein-Gottorp belonging island of Heligoland comes to the Danish Duchy of Schleswig

1773 · contractual arrangement between Denmark and Russia: Schleswig and Holstein remain undivided, the older house of Holstein-Gottorf (now Czars of Russia) cedes Holstein in favor of the kings of Denmark, Denmark cedes Oldenburg and Delmenhorst to the younger line of the house of Holstein-Gottorf, Schleswig (and in this way Heligoland too) becomes (with Holstein and Lauenburg) a member of the Danish-Norwegian state, the Danish king is - as Duke of Holstein - a German prince, and thus a part of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation, Beginning of a policy of danization towards the German population

1806 · Napoleon forces the creation of the Rhine Confederation, an alliance of sixteen southern and southwestern German states under French protectorate, which declare themselves sovereign and resign from the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation, hereupon Emperor Franz II. lays down the crown of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation, the empire ends, Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg become annexed to Denmark

1807 · the island of Helgoland is occupied by British troops

1814 · Peace of Kiel, Helgoland is part of Great Britain

1st of July in 1890 · Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty, Helgoland comes from Great Britain to Prussia and is thus a part of the German Empire, Heligoland becomes connected to the district of South Dithmar in the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein

1914-1918 · First World War, Heligoland is evacuated

1922 · Heligoland is a separate circle in the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein

1932 · Heligoland becomes connected to the district of Pinneberg in the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein

1939–1945 · Second World War; Heligoland is bombed on 18t of April 1945by the British Air Force, 1.000 planes drop at least 7.000 bombs, the island had become uninhabitable, the population becomes completely evacuated

18th of April in 1947 · the British army tries in vain to blast away the entire island by the largest ever non-nuclear Explosion in the history of the world, with 6.700 tons of explosives

1947–1952 · the British Air Force uses the island as a training ground for bombing

20th of Dezember in 1950 · two students and a lecturer from Heidelberg occupy the island and hoist the German flag, the flag of the European Movement and the flag of Helgoland

3rd of January in 1951 · British officers stop the occupation, then the parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) demands the island back

1st of March in 1952 · Heligoland is released by the United Kingdom, and affiliated to the FRG

Source: Wikipedia (D), Herders Conversations-Lexikon

Origin of the Country's Name

The name "Heligoland" should go back to the term "Holy Land", and on old maps the island is called "Helge Land". However, it is also believed that the root word "Hallig" is included, and thus refers to a small island in the North Frisian Wadden Sea.

Source: Wikipedia (D)