Luftaufnahme eines Strandes: Ein farbiges Herz aus Menschen und Surfboards liegt am Ufer, Meer links, Sand rechts.

Luftaufnahme eines Campinggeländes mit vielen Wohnwagen auf einer Halbinsel; Meer rechts, Felder links, Abendsonne spiegelt sich im Wasser.

Open-Air-Bühne links mit Live-Auftritt, dichtes Publikum im Innenhof, rechte Turmfront mit bunten Lichtern, Abendhimmel.

Foresight

The motto of Frisian island captains reveals that in the true north of Germany, looking ahead is part of the attitude to life. It’s no wonder that people with vision develop the best ideas here

Open-Air-Konzert Werft Open Air bei Sonnenuntergang; große Menschenmenge vor Bühne links, farbig beleuchteter Turm rechts.

Riding waves and collecting garbage

Rüm hart, klaar Kiming: This Frisian motto – wide heart, clear horizon – also describes Angelo Schmitt. “We on Sylt have always looked ahead, across the sea to the horizon,” says the co-founder of the surf club and founder of the first Sylt surf school, the surfboard brand Norden and the surf and travel magazine “Blue”. Over 20 years ago, he and his fellow lifeguards began cleaning up the island beaches at the end of the season. They collected bags of plastic waste that had been washed into the dunes. “As a result, we got many others on board. It was clear to us that the topic of sustainability needed more attention,” explains Angelo.

CLEAN UP Angelo Schmitt cleans up on Sylt’s beaches

His young son gave him a new idea: to make figures out of the plastic waste that was washed ashore. He calls this art project Shades of Trash. And travels the world with his sculptures to raise people’s awareness of environmental protection.

Where camping is completely natural

What happens when an outdoor journalist and two VW bus rental experts get together? Together they realize their vision of a campsite – and founded the Ahoi Camp, a certified eco-camp on the northwest coast of the island of Fehmarn. Surrounded by a nature reserve and right on the Baltic Sea beach, Markus Wolff, Jens Köhler and Johannes Vieten demonstrate what camping can be: close to nature and sustainable, open and uncomplicated, modern and informal.

THE TRIO OF FOUNDERS Johannes, Markus and Jens

“Whether kitesurfers, families or new-work-enthusiasts, everyone will find their dream spot here,” says Markus, who has loved being out in nature since his early days as a scout. Environmental protection is practiced in all areas, with organic products in the store, renewable energies and eco-toilets. There is even an open-air laboratory, where children and school classes can sit down at the microscope after adventure hikes to observe nature up close.

Culture is launched here

Thilo Gollan was just just looking for a typical venue for his company’s anniversary celebration. But he came across a disused shipyard in Lübeck. The potential of the oldest industrial area in Schleswig-Holstein inspired the recycling entrepreneur so much that he bought the abandoned halls and to transformed them into a vibrant cultural venue. Since 2015, the Kulturwerft, a versatile event venue that offers space for 3,000 people in elaborately renovated brick halls, has been flourishing on an area the size of eight soccer pitches. There is also an open-air area with a view of Lübeck’s old town island for 5,000 visitors.

CULTURE CAPTAIN Thilo Gollan has put the old shipyard back on course

“The halls found me,” jokes Thilo about his passion project, which is now a creative hotspot. The venue hosts concerts, trade fairs and other large events as well as pop-ups for artists, coffee roasters, brewers and other start-ups.