The Last Fishermen of the Kaiserbäder
Seebad Ahlbeck. 6 a.m. The wind carries the soft chugging of a motor across the water. The closer it gets, the louder the seagulls’ screeching becomes. They circle the boat in flocks, fighting over the scraps of fish.
The flat wooden cutters, anchored against the backdrop of the Ahlbeck pier, reach almost to the water’s edge. With great force and a roar, tractors pull the boats backward onto the soft sand. For many generations now, they have been a familiar sight in the Kaiserbäder, even though what was once a primary occupation has become a traditional business. In the past, countless boats would wait every morning for the hard-working fishermen to take them out to haul in the nets marked with red flags. The holds of the sand cutters were once filled to the brim with the silver of the Baltic Sea: herring.
While there were still 7,305 professional fishermen in Pomerania in 1932, today there are only 270 along the Baltic Sea coast from Flensburg to Ahlbeck. Shortly before German reunification, 65 fishermen were still heading out onto the Baltic Sea from the Kaiserbäder; today, you can count the local professional fishermen on one hand. Overfishing, catch quotas, and fish imports ultimately led to the decline of the profession.
Yet even today, you can still see these fishermen—dressed in oilskins, sweatshirts, and caps—pulling the glistening herring from their nets and selling the freshly caught fish right off the boat. You can listen to their stories and their hope of preserving their traditional way of life for as long as possible.
Even the town’s name—Heringsdorf—traces back to its fishing tradition: The place name was first officially mentioned in the Official Gazette of the Royal Government of Stettin on July 31, 1820. But even before that, the colony’s fishermen had been catching the herring that swam past the island in shoals. As a result, Chief Forester Georg Bernhard von Bülow, the founding father of the community, established a herring-packing facility. King Frederick William III planned to visit the facility in 1820. However, the establishment of a new settlement required prior notification, including a proposal for its name. Due to this oversight, a solution had to be found quickly. It was fortunate, then, that Princes Wilhelm and Carl had already traveled to the new colony the day before their father’s arrival. They are said to have been the ones who gave the settlement the name “Heringsdorff,” as von Bülow wrote in the application for the place name. It was fortunate that the nameplate was already in place the very next day, when the king visited Heringsdorf. How did von Bülow manage to get that done so quickly?
Freshly caught fish from the Baltic Sea
When the old marine diesel engine starts to rumble, it’s time to head out onto the Baltic Sea. There aren’t many commercial fishermen left, but those who remain are still gripped by a longing for the sea. Once a profession with a future, today it’s almost purely a matter of tradition. In particular, the “silver of the Baltic Sea”—the herring—has always been the mainstay of our local fishermen. But besides matjes and other varieties, other fish also find their way between the buns and onto our plates. And we hope it stays that way for a long time to come.
Even though it looks like a snake, it’s actually a fish. From June through October, eels—which can grow up to 150 centimeters long and weigh up to 6 kilograms—end up in fish traps and on our plates.
Because of its silvery-gray color, the bream is also called “Blei.” Due to its high reproduction rate, it is not considered an endangered fish species. The bream, which can weigh up to 9 kilograms, is found year-round, though it spawns only from April through June, typically near the shore.
The leopard of the fish world. Not because of its speed, but because of its marbled pattern. The cod can reach an impressive length of up to two meters, making it a feared predator of small fish.
“Flat as a flounder”—this idiom already reveals what is arguably the fish’s most distinctive characteristic. But this flatfish has even more to offer: The flounder is the chameleon of the Baltic Sea. It likes to make itself comfortable on the seafloor, which is ideal since it can adapt its color to its surroundings—and because both of its eyes are on one side of its body.
Large, heavy, and fast—the pike can grow up to 150 centimeters in length and weigh up to 16 kilograms, yet despite this, the predator is able to seize its prey in a flash. Its retractable fangs also help it do so. Its distinctive features are its beak-like mouth and green bones.
Unlike their close relatives, the salmon, sea trout migrate up rivers to spawn but later return to the ocean. Since they are an endangered species, their catch is subject to closed seasons. When sea trout are spawning, their scales turn brown; otherwise, they are silvery.
Like the flounder, the turbot is a master at playing hide-and-seek. It, too, is able to change color to blend in with the seabed. However, this ability is limited to one side of its body; the underside appears almost white. Fortunately, its eyes are also located on its dark side.
Eyewitnesses
In light of the impending disappearance of our professional fishermen, a story was recorded as part of the “Eyewitness Accounts” series. Former coastal fishermen Ewald Hellfritz and Horst Schmidt recount how an unexpected change in the weather can alter the situation on the high seas.
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More InformationFishing beaches
Our traditional fishing beaches—where the last remaining professional fishermen of the Kaiserbäder still make their living—are characterized by historic boats on the shore, wooden fishermen’s huts behind the dunes, and a wide selection of freshly caught fish.
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