The Sönke Nissen Koog is an impressive example of engineering and agricultural development in North Friesland. It is located northwest of Husum and covers about 1,200 hectares. The Koog was dyked in 1925 and completed in 1926, named after the engineer and diamond dealer Sönke Nissen, who played a key role in financing the project.
Sönke Nissen, originally from Klockries near Niebüll, made his fortune through his work in German South West Africa, now Namibia, where he was involved in railway projects and diamond mining. After his death, the executors of his will used his fortune to build the Koog. The Koog comprises 28 farms, most of which are painted white and have green roofs. This uniform architecture was designed by the architect Heinrich Stav, who ensured that the buildings were built robustly and functionally, but also cost-effectively.
The sluice in the Sönke-Nissen-Koog plays a central role in the drainage of the area and enables the marshland to be used for agricultural purposes. The fertile soils of the Koog are mainly used for growing winter wheat, winter barley and winter rapeseed, and some areas are also used to grow sugar beet, which is processed in biogas plants. In addition to agriculture, the Koog is also a location for renewable energies, including wind turbines and photovoltaic systems.