Sylt - Germany's Elegant Northern Light
ylt's allure, however, also has its drawbacks: Before the pandemic, more than 750,000 visitors a year flocked to the island, to the benefit, but also to the detriment, of the locals. This film takes a look at this parallel world in the far north.
For many tourists, the journey to Sylt is extraordinary in itself. Most arrive by train from Niebüll with their cars loaded onto car transporters, experiencing the Wadden Sea's underwater world on either side of the Hindenburgdamm causeway. The contrasts continue on the island: between luxury and unspoiled nature, between resorts and camping. Sylt is an island of contrasts. Bustling life in Westerland, deserted stretches of beach at Lister Ellenbogen. This short report offers a glimpse into the parallel world of a majestic and seemingly extravagant island, far removed from the tourist hotspots.
The film also focuses on genuine islanders, like farmer John-Ricklef Petersen. He is one of around 14,000 people who come from the island and still speak the Sylt dialect, Söl'ring. The Petersen family has been farming the island's meadows for over 100 years, now in its third generation. The heart of their organic farm is their own herd of 250 Galloway Angus cattle. The family works in the fields and on the dike even when tourists are still asleep in their hotel and holiday home beds during the peak season. The relationship between them and the locals is ambivalent. The island depends on tourism, but this puts a strain on nature reserves and drives up property prices. Many locals have long been unable to afford to live on their own island.
Twenty-year-old Phillip Grossmann, meanwhile, is firmly rooted in the island. He can usually be found off Sylt's southern tip, about six kilometers from farmer Petersen's salt marshes, on the "Simon Alexander." It's one of only five fishing vessels authorized to fish for mussels off Sylt. The catch is plentiful, as Sylt is considered a paradise for mussels.
Farmer John-Ricklef Petersen keeps a close eye not only on his cattle, but also, and perhaps even more importantly, on his flock of salt marsh sheep—250 woolly natives of Sylt. They graze on the salt marshes on the island's east side until November, dictating the family's annual rhythm. Everything is timed almost to the day so that around 400 lambs are born in time for Easter.
Broadcasting on 19th of April 2026 at 06.15pm on 3sat
Music: POPVIRUS Library