Sylt Island to Promote 'Syltdamm' Name for Iconic Railway Causeway

Syltdamm instead of Hindenburgdamm: For the 100th anniversary next year, the island wants to establish the term Syltdamm and use only this term in connection with the railway causeway to the island. The municipality and numerous other partners have now agreed on this at the start of the anniversary year. However, one of Germany's best-known railway structures cannot be officially renamed.

Why is the designation so controversial today?

Paul von Hindenburg (1847-1934) is a highly controversial figure. He was Reichspräsident in the Weimar Republic; today, many consider him primarily the "enabler of Hitler," whom he made Reichskanzler, thus making the dictatorship possible. In many cities, streets and squares named after Hindenburg have already been renamed years ago after lengthy and controversial debates.

How did the designation Hindenburgdamm actually come about?

The railway causeway was never officially christened with this name. The fact that the term "Hindenburgdamm" has become common usage probably stems from the fact that Reichspräsident Paul Hindenburg was present at the opening of the causeway on June 1, 1927. And the then Reichsbahn chief Julius Dorpmüller paid tribute to Hindenburg in his speech and stated: "We want to christen" the new causeway after him - "let it be called 'Hindenburgdamm'."

Is the name debate on Sylt new?

No, the term for the railway causeway has been debated repeatedly for years. Many have also been aware for a long time that the name Hindenburgdamm is problematic. The term has not appeared on the Deutsche Bahn website and elsewhere for several years. Sylt Marketing GmbH, for example, has also not used the term in its communications for a long time. And guests and locals now also speak more often than before simply of the railway causeway to Sylt or Syltdamm.

Everyone can still use the name they want, said the press spokesperson for the municipality of Sylt. However, within the event team "100 Years Syltdamm," a conscious decision was made to use the designation Syltdamm for the communication surrounding the anniversary year. "No renaming was decided upon with this."

What is the railway causeway to Sylt actually called now?

Officially, the causeway is still called neither Hindenburgdamm nor Syltdamm. There is no nameplate on the route. According to Deutsche Bahn, the only railway structures that are officially christened are tunnels. The structure between the mainland and the island is a section of the Elmshorn – Westerland line and, like every Deutsche Bahn line, has an internal number. In this case, it is 2010.

Will the debate also be addressed as part of the anniversary?

Yes. From April to September 2027, there will be an exhibition by the Sylt Archive on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the railway causeway in the foyer of the Westerland town hall. The exhibition is dedicated to the history of the railway causeway, its significance for the island, and in particular the historical and current discussion about the designation Hindenburgdamm, which is still widely used today, the event team announced. The exhibition will address, among other things, the origin of the name, the person Paul von Hindenburg, and past and current debates about how to deal with honors for personalities who are now viewed critically, and possible ways of dealing with them.