History
- Sylt was originally part of Jutland (today Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein)
- There is evidence of human habitation going back to 3000 BC at Denghoog
- First settlements of Frisians during the 8th century and 9th century
- Sylt was divided between the Duke of Schleswig and the Kingdom of Denmark in 1386
- Except for the town of List, Sylt became part of the Duchy of Schleswig in 1435
- During the 17th century and 18th century, whaling, fishing and oyster breeding increased the wealth of the population
- Keitum became the capital of the island, and a place for rich captains to settle down
- In the 19th century, tourism began; Westerland replaced Keitum as the capital
- During World War I, Sylt became a military outpost, but did not suffer from war damage
- In 1927, a rail causeway to the mainland was built, the Hindenburgdamm, named after Paul von Hindenburg
- During World War II, Sylt became a fortress, with concrete bunkers built below the dunes at the shore, some of which are still visible today. Lager Sylt, the concentration camp on Alderney was named after the island.
- When Nazi Germany lost the war Rudolf Höss hid on the island, but was captured there and brought to trial in Nürnberg.
Today, Sylt is mainly a tourist attraction, famous for its healthy climate, and the many German celebrities who own houses on the island. The beach even has a nude section.
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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—Jonathan Raban (b. 1942)