Borkum is bordered to the west by the Westeremsstrait (which forms the border with the Netherlands), to the east by the Osterems strait, to the north by theNorth Sea, and to the south by theWadden Sea. It is the largest and westernmost of theEast Frisian Islands in theNorth Sea, due north of theDutchprovince ofGroningen.
The island was formed in 1863 by two previously separate islands which were still separated by a shallow water. The seam between the former eastern and western parts is calledTüskendör ("through in between").
Borkum is the only East Frisian island that is under the influence of the North Sea all year round thanks to its 30-kilometre (16-nautical-mile) distance from the mainland. The maritime climate is influenced by the Gulf Stream and the west wind zone with correspondingly high humidity throughout the year. This ensures varied weather with much sun and wind but also occasional rain and showers.Compared to the mainland, there is a climate with much milder winters and cooler summers without extremely cold or hot days. This is due to the buffering effect of the sea, which warms up slowly in spring and summer, but stores the warm temperatures longer in autumn.[3]
Mentioned asBurchana fabaria (island of beans) by bothStrabo andPliny the Elder, Borkum by the time ofCharlemagne was part of a larger island calledBant, which consisted of the present day islands of Borkum,Juist, and the western part ofNorderney.
In 1484, Bant passed to the Earls ofEast Frisia, who developed trade, and the island became known as a centre of piracy and whaling. By 1781, violent storms in the 18th century divided Bant into three islands. As whaling decreased, the inhabitants became impoverished, and many left, with the island's population falling from 852 in 1776 to 406 by 1811. The first tourists arrived on the island in 1834, and the local economy improved as a tourist resort.
InMexico as I saw it, published byThomas Nelson,Mrs Alec Tweedie, writing in 1911 about a trip of 1900 toMexico, compares the brick roads ofMonterrey with those of Borkum, "the one spot on earth from whichJews are banished". This had to do with the aggressive and successful campaign of German tourists to keep Borkum free from Jewish visitors, as celebrated in theantisemitic "Borkum-Lied".[4]
In 1910, British officers CaptainBernard Frederick Trench and Lieutenant Vivian H. Brandon were imprisoned for espionage for photographing the military installations on the island.
In 1944, the island was the site of the massacre of 7 American POWs. After the war, these murders were prosecuted in theBorkum Island war crimes trial.
In November 2024, the German press revealed the existence of Klaasohm festival, held every 5th of December for decades and still ongoing. This hidden festival allows packs of young men to chase women and spank them with cows' horns, sometimes causing bruises and hematomas. The festival is endorsed by the island authorities. Victims reported in the press that even minors and pregnant women are not spared.[5]
The island is partiallycar-free. Off-season, driving by car is permitted everywhere, otherwise there arecar-free zones. The only town on the island is also called Borkum. There is an airfield in the Tüskendör area. Borkum is served by ferries fromEmden, Germany andEemshaven, the Netherlands. TheBorkumer Kleinbahn narrow-gauge railway connects the harbour and the town of Borkum.[6]
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