Husumer Biikebrennen am Dockkoog

When the Beacon Burns

The word Biike comes from Frisian and means beacon or fire beacon. On the evening of February 21st, the eve of Saint Peter's Day, the North Frisian population has lit their Biiken for centuries – a custom that originally was meant to bid farewell to the men setting off for whaling in spring and is now celebrated as the Frisian National Holiday. In 2014, UNESCO included the Biikebrennen in the national inventory of intangible cultural heritage in Germany. Around 60 Biiken are lit every year in Schleswig-Holstein – the largest and most visited on the mainland is the Husumer Biikebrennen am Dockkoog.

The Embankment as a Festival Site

Husum, the Storm City and district capital of North Frisia with around 23,000 inhabitants, has a particularly impressive site for its Biike fire: the embankment at Dockkoog, right by the harbor, with a wide view over Husum Bay. The volunteer fire brigade stacks brushwood and wood here for weeks to form a bonfire several meters high. When darkness falls, thousands of visitors gather on the embankment – locals, tourists, and onlookers from all over the region.

The Schedule

The program follows a fixed ritual: At 6:00 PM, the event begins with a short welcome, followed by the Biikerede, an address in Frisian and German, which usually addresses the cultural significance of the custom and current social issues. At 6:30 PM, the fire is lit with torches. The fire brigade band, traditionally from the Viöl Volunteer Fire Brigade, plays in the background. For hours, the fire then blazes into the North Frisian February sky – a sight of impressive power.

Kohl Afterwards

The Grünkohlessen (kale dinner) afterwards is an inseparable part of the custom. In Husum's restaurants and inns, February thus becomes the classic kale season: kale, Kassler (smoked pork loin), bratwurst, and pork jowl are mandatory for every Biike attendee. Warm drinks and simple food are also served directly at Dockkoog.

Several Biiken in Husum Bay

If you want to combine the evening: Husum Bay has several Biike fires, often on the same evening at different times – in Schobüll, Hattstedt, Hattstedtermarsch, and Simonsberg. In clear weather, you can see several other fires on the horizon from one Biike site – a sight that clearly shows the regional roots of the custom. In Schobüll, the local cultural association organizes its own Biike fire.