Baltrum

Baltrum is a barrier island off the coast of East Frisia, in Germany, and is a municipality in the district of Aurich, Lower Saxony. It is located in-between the chain of the seven inhabited East Frisian Islands. Baltrum is the smallest island in this chain by area and inhabitants. It has a land area of 6.5 square kilometres, and a population in (2011) of just over 500 resident inhabitants. Geography It is located in the middle of the island chain known as the East Frisian Islands and is the smallest permanently inhabited island in the chain according to the area and number of inhabitants. The gat or tidal channel of Wichter Ee in the west separates Baltrum from Norderney and the tidal creek Accumer Ee in the east separates it from Langeoog. There are two villages on the island – Ostdorf and Westdorf – although they have essentially merged into one. The ferry for Baltrum departs from the small port near the village of Neßmersiel (in the parish of Dornum) with connection to the train station of Norden. The island has its own ferry terminal and a small airstrip. The island is about long and wide. It covers an area of and has a population of around 600 people, swelling to about 3,500 during the summer months due to tourism. Tourists (mainly from the Ruhr Area in North Rhine-Westphalia) travel to Baltrum to enjoy the countryside of the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park, the beach and attractions such as the indoor swimming pool filled with sea water or a miniature golf course. The highest point on the island is a central coastal dune with a viewing platform on top called Aussichtsdüne in German and is above sea-level. Etymology The origin of the name Baltrum is not clearly clarified. In 1398, the island was mentioned for the first time in a document of enfeoffment as Balteringe meaning either "pasture" or "[the place of] the sons or followers of Balter" in Old Frisian. Another assumption is that the name is derived from the Norse god Baldr – son of Odin and Frigg. In the recent past an ironic version arose, one would be bald 'rum when encircling the island, as the island is small it would not take a long time to walk around Baltrum. Nevertheless, the circumference amounts to about .