If you’ve never lived by the sea (or seen one for that matter) it’s hard to explain to someone about how the rolling waves or the endless horizon can touch your very soul.
Fishermen and sailors know the love of the “Seven Seas” and salt air, but let me be the one to tell you — one day along the Baltic Sea is all it’ll take for you to feel it in yours as well.
Folks in the town of Heikendorf can understand, since their town sits right on the Baltic Coast in the very north of Germany, along the Kiel Fjord.
Heikendorf’s landmark pays homage to the sea, or I should say the lives lost to it, with a U-boat memorial for both World Wars.
Just a note: A swastika was put on the memorial in the late 1930’s which was removed after 1945, though parts of it can still be seen today since it didn’t fully come off.
Alongside the brick & bronze eagle U-boat Memorial are 115 bronze plaques with the names of the sailors who lost their lives. There’s also another beautiful sculpture along the coastline, created by artist Adolf Brütt.
Brütt wasn’t the only artist to find his way this far north. An entire artist colony was created; a perfect opportunity to start an Art Museum. The museum is known to have all sorts of special art exhibitions throughout the year — on top of what’s already here on permanent exhibit.
The Museum Garden is also a masterpiece with more than 200 species of plants & flowers. Wow, no wonder everyone seems to be so creatively inspired here. Maybe it’s the salt air!
As stimulating as the Baltic Sea is for painting, writing, or whatever; it’s a great place to kick your heels up & have some fun. Swimming or sailing the Baltic is a great way to enjoy yourself in Heikendorf.
There are also other outdoor activities that’ll keep you quite busy here. There’s everything from golf to tennis, horseback riding to hiking trails.
Not me though, I think I hear the call of the sea asking me to come back.