Dike Workers' Memorial Diekskiel

Pilsum. It stands for many generations in the fight against the Blanken Hans, namely the defense of the storm surges. - In Diekskiel near Pilsum, the Deichacht Krummhörn on July 17, 1973 - 40 years ago - inaugurated the first monument for dike workers.

At that time many guests of honor were present, among them the East Frisian Government President Hans Beutz and about 30 workers, some of whom had been working for many years on the bulwark against the "Blanken Hans". The stone monument with inscriptions like "No dike - no land - no life" (Deichrichter Brahms after the Christmas flood of 1717) and "The dike workers of many generations" stands on a plant whose location could be obtained by dyke straightening. Today there is especially room for camping holidaymakers on the dike.

The idea to erect a memorial for dike workers on the site comes from the then meritorious Oberdeich- and Obersielrichter Jannes Ohling, who received in the context of the inauguration of the first, donated by the district and Stadtsparkasse north dike gold coin.

Source:
emderzeitung.de/landkreis-aurich/~/deicharbeiter-denkmal-im-kampf-gegen-blanken-hans-74562

The memorial "Diekskiel" commemorates the many generations of dike workers who made great efforts to secure the coasts (source: "Greetsiel" - a world famous village). A motto in earlier times was: "Well neet wants to dieken, de mutt wieken" (= Low German) = translated into High German: "Who does not want to build dykes, must leave the country"

The monument stands for the fight against the storm surge