The lighthouse was planned in 1883 as part of the German-Dutch lighting project of the Unter-Ems as one of five Leitfeuern and completed in 1890. On 1 October 1891, all five lighthouses were put into service together. Each of the five head fires was responsible for a fixed section on the ship's route between the North Sea and Emden. The Pilsum lighthouse was responsible for about five kilometers long and about 600 meters wide section of the route between Borkum and Emden. The other lighthouses within the transnational project were:
Small lighthouse Borkum, German
Lighthouse camping, German
Lighthouse Watum, Dutch, destroyed in World War II
Lighthouse Delfzijl, Dutch, destroyed in World War II
The lighthouse served until June 1915 for firing the Emshörnrinne. Then he was taken out of service because of the First World War, to give enemy ships no indication of the fairway. In October 1919, the final decommissioning, as the fairway had changed by sand deposits. After decommissioning, the tower was used for different purposes and by changing owners. Its structural condition deteriorated steadily and in the fall of 1972 it was even thought about a demolition.
Instead of demolition took place in the spring of 1973, a complex renovation of the lighthouse, as a result, he also received the first time the so-known red-yellow-red paint.
Since 1998, the lighthouse is owned by the Deichacht Krummhörn, which has since taken care of the preservation of the lighthouse.
The tower became popular especially through the film Otto - The Frisian by the comedian Otto Waalkes. In the film, the lighthouse Otto serves as an apartment.