Wierum

Wierum is a village in the municipality Dongeradeel in the Dutch province of Friesland. It is located north of Dokkum and has 370 inhabitants (2008).

Wierum overlooks the sea and the dike runs with a bay directly to the village. In addition Wierum is the starting point for walks across the mudflats by Engelsmanplaat.

History

Wierum is built on a mound, on the houses and later the village church were built. First, the village church was in the village center. However, after several major floods in the Middle Ages and even in the following centuries, large parts of the church have been destroyed. Therefore, the church was moved to the dike.

The fishing took Wierum in an important position, to a large part of the fishing boats were destroyed in a heavy storm in 1893. Only a few fishing boats were not destroyed because they were thrown by the storm at the beach of Ameland. This was a great misfortune for Wierum, since the majority of the inhabitants were fishermen and lived from fishing.

To remember the past life of a fisherman, was founded in 2004 with the faithful construction of a two-master, the Wierummer Aek started. Before the destruction of the fishing fleet of these two master was the usual fishing boat in Wierum.

Wierum in the literature

A well-known quote about Wierum alludes to the location of the dike around the village:

Personalities

• Meindert DeJong (* March 4, 1906, † 16 July 1991), Dutch children's book author