Katharinenheerd

Many legendary tales surround the tranquil vacation town of Katharinenheerd, giving it its unique character. Even today, you can discover some of the legends and stories about the town’s origins and its residents, both in the village and the surrounding area.

The village owes its name, “Katharinenheerd,” to two poor and devout women who, according to legend, were named Katharina and Heerda. They were burdened not only by their poverty but also by the long distance to the nearest church. So they began gathering stones to build a church. Eventually, they were able to build a small church and unite the farms into their own parish.

In the legendary village of Katharinenheerd, a relief on St. Catherine’s Church commemorates the legend of the brave Martje Flohrs. When drunken Danish soldiers rampaged through a farmstead in the village in 1700, they are said to have forced the innkeeper’s daughter—who was 10 years old at the time—to propose a toast. “We’ll be just fine in our old age!” the child is said to have declared with a deadpan expression. This motto and the girl’s name are still alive today in all sorts of contexts on the Eiderstedt Peninsula.

On a bike ride from Katharinenheerd to Tetenbüll, you’ll pass the Drescherhof (also known as the Olufhof), a stately farmhouse whose two barn doors are adorned with paintings. If you look closely, you’ll see a horse and two figures—the two threshers from the legend of the Drescherhof, which is said to have taken place here: The big and little threshers are said to have competed in a threshing race until the big one finally collapsed and died of exhaustion. According to the legend, the small thresher was the devil. Today, the Drescherhof is privately owned and therefore not open to the public. However, the paintings are still clearly visible as you drive by.