Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei Föhr-Amrum

Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei Föhr-Amrum GmbH, commonly abbreviated as W.D.R., is a German shipping company based in Wyk auf Föhr, Schleswig-Holstein. It operates regular, year-round ferry services linking the North Frisian islands of Föhr and Amrum with the mainland port of Dagebüll, as well as connecting the Halligen islands of Hooge and Langeneß with the mainland port of Schlüttsiel. These ferry routes are described as the essential lifeline of the islands and Halligen. In addition to ferry services, W.D.R. operates public bus transport on Föhr and Amrum. The company's origins date back to 1885, when 33 citizens of Wyk, led by Steffen-Heinrich Boetius, founded the Wyker Rhederei Gesellschaft, a partnership shipping company. The goal was to commission a modern ferry serving Wyk, Munkmarsch on Sylt, the mainland port of Dagebüll, and Amrum. In 1886 the company put the Nordfriesland I into service. By the late 1880s it had absorbed or liquidated two competitors, the Wyker Fährgenossenschaft and the Föhrer Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft, giving it a monopoly on Föhr. On 12 May 1894 the partnership was converted into a GmbH and registered as Wyker Dampfschiffs-Rhederei-Gesellschaft m.b.H. at the Wyk auf Föhr district court. Throughout the 20th century W.D.R. modernized its fleet and expanded its services. In 1908 the steam ferry Föhr-Amrum entered service. During World War I revenues declined, and in 1918 the town of Wyk purchased 75 percent of the company. In 1927 the Nordfriesland III entered service, the first W.D.R. ship capable of transporting motor vehicles. After World War II passenger numbers rose, and from 1952 W.D.R. offered summer excursion services to Helgoland. Around 1960 it took over bus transport on Föhr and Amrum. On 30 June 1962 it received its first RoRo ferry, the Pidder Lyng I. In 1971 W.D.R. took over the Amrumer Schiffahrts-AG (ASAG), acquiring the "Halliglinie" connecting Schlüttsiel with Hooge, Langeneß, and the Amrum ports of Wittdün and Steenodde. In 1992, shortly after German reunification, W.D.R. recorded its record year with approximately 2.25 million passengers. In 1995 it acquired the majority of the state of Schleswig-Holstein's shares in the Nordfriesische Verkehrsbetriebe AG (NVAG), which it sold in 2000 to focus on its core business. Today W.D.R. remains a private limited company (GmbH) and continues to operate its ferry and bus services, serving as a vital transport link for the North Frisian islands and Halligen.

A regular ferry service between the North Frisian mainland and Föhr has been documented since 1662. From the 1830s the number of passengers increased as Wyk developed into a seaside resort. From 1872 the Wyker Fährgenossenschaft operated the ferry service between Wyk and Dagebüll with the steamship Föhr et Dagebüll. Demand continued to grow, so in early 1885, 33 Wyker citizens led by Steffen-Heinrich Boetius founded the Wyker Rhederei Gesellschaft, a partnership shipping company (Partenreederei). The goal was to commission a modern ferry that would serve Wyk, Munkmarsch on Sylt, the mainland port of Dagebüll, and Amrum. In 1886 the company put the Nordfriesland I into service. Two competitors, the Wyker Fährgenossenschaft and the Föhrer Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft, were taken over or liquidated in the 1880s, giving the company a monopoly on Föhr. Amrum, however, continued to be served by other ferry companies until 1971. On 12 May 1894 the partnership was converted into a GmbH and registered as Wyker Dampfschiffs-Rhederei-Gesellschaft m.b.H. at the Wyk auf Föhr district court. In 1895 the Kleinbahn Niebüll–Dagebüll narrow-gauge railway opened, increasing the importance of the mainland port of Dagebüll. In 1908 the steam ferry Föhr-Amrum, measuring 211 GRT and carrying up to 470 passengers, entered service. During World War I revenues declined; in 1918 the town of Wyk bought 75 percent of the company. In June 1927 the Nordfriesland III entered service. It measured 285 GRT, was nearly 40 meters long and 7.8 meters wide, with a top speed of eleven knots. It carried up to 740 passengers and was the first W.D.R. ship capable of transporting motor vehicles, initially only one. Vehicles were loaded over narrow wooden planks. The previous year the railway line to Niebüll had been converted to standard gauge, increasing its capacity. These measures were prompted by competition from the island of Sylt, which had been connected to the mainland by the Hindenburgdamm in 1927. During World War II there was again a significant decline in traffic. Ferries were attacked from the air several times. On 10 July 1944 eleven people died in the bombing of the Kapitäne Christiansen. Most ferry crossings were made under cover of darkness. In the post-war period passenger numbers rose. From 1952 W.D.R. established summer excursion services to Helgoland from Hörnum, Wyk, Wittdün, and Dagebüll, after Helgoland again became part of German territory. Further excursion trips were offered from Föhr or Amrum with, among others, the Rüm Hart (I) and Rüm Hart (II), the Klaar Kiming, the Stadt Husum, and the Störtebeker. Around 1960 W.D.R. took over bus transport on Föhr and Amrum. The port facilities were regularly expanded and modernized, and the fleet was renewed at short intervals. Ever larger ships were purchased to carry more cars. Until 1995 all W.D.R. car ferries were built at the Husumer Schiffswerft. On 30 June 1962 W.D.R. received its first RoRo ferry, the Pidder Lyng I. It was 41.6 meters long and carried 200 passengers and 36 cars. In 1963 the Nordfriesland III was decommissioned. In 1971 W.D.R. took over the Amrumer Schiffahrts-AG (ASAG) with the ferry Amrum, built in 1968, and the Stadt Husum. This brought the "Halliglinie", which connected the mainland port of Schlüttsiel with the Halligen Hooge and Langeneß and the Amrum ports of Wittdün and Steenodde, to W.D.R. Also in 1971, tide-independent service was introduced between Dagebüll, Wyk, and Wittdün. In 1986 the W.D.R. ferry Uthlande was lengthened at the shipyard to increase its capacity, followed in 1987 by the Nordfriesland V. 1992 was W.D.R.'s record year, when shortly after German reunification around 2.25 million passengers used the ferries. In 1995 W.D.R. acquired the majority of the state of Schleswig-Holstein's shares in the Nordfriesische Verkehrsbetriebe AG (NVAG), which operated the railway line from Dagebüll to Niebüll. The stake was sold in 2000 to a North German local transport consortium as W.D.R. concentrated on its core business. The NVAG filed for insolvency in 2003 and today operates under the name neg as a subsidiary of CFL (the Luxembourg state railway). The "Halliglinie" was shortened so that Steenodde was no longer served. The Amrum was in service until 1991 and was sold to the Weiße Flotte Stralsund, which used it as Vitte on the route to the island of Hiddensee. It was replaced by the Hilligenlei II, which resembled the large W.D.R. ferries, and in 2002 by the even smaller Hilligenlei I (today Hilligenlei). From 1999 to 2006 W.D.R. was a co-owner of the high-speed catamaran CAT No. 1, used in Helgoland traffic. In 2002 W.D.R. operated excursion trips to Helgoland for the last time for the time being with the Pidder Lyng II. It was sold to Adler-Schiffe and in 2006 sailed again in the Helgoland service on their behalf. In 2009 the bus fleet was reduced from 14 to eight buses and occasional transport on Föhr was abandoned. In 2010, with the Uthlande...

• 2009

  Bus fleet reduced from 14 to eight buses; occasional transport on Föhr abandoned.

• 2002

  Last Helgoland excursion with Pidder Lyng II for the time being; Hilligenlei I replaces Hilligenlei II.

• 2000

  NVAG stake sold to a North German local transport consortium.

• 1995

  W.D.R. acquires majority of state shares in Nordfriesische Verkehrsbetriebe AG (NVAG).

• 1992

  Record year with approximately 2.25 million passengers.

• 1986

  Ferry Uthlande lengthened at shipyard to increase capacity.

• 1971

  W.D.R. takes over Amrumer Schiffahrts-AG (ASAG), acquiring the Halliglinie; tide-independent service introduced between Dagebüll, Wyk, and Wittdün.

• 1962

  First RoRo ferry Pidder Lyng I received on 30 June.

• 1960

  W.D.R. takes over bus transport on Föhr and Amrum.

• 1952

  Summer excursion services to Helgoland established from Hörnum, Wyk, Wittdün, and Dagebüll.

• 1944

  Eleven people die in the bombing of the Kapitäne Christiansen on 10 July.

• 1927

  Nordfriesland III enters service, first W.D.R. ship to carry motor vehicles.

• 1918

  Town of Wyk buys 75 percent of the company.

• 1908

  Steam ferry Föhr-Amrum (211 GRT, 470 passengers) enters service.

• 1895

  Kleinbahn Niebüll–Dagebüll narrow-gauge railway opens, boosting Dagebüll port.

• 1894

  Partnership converted into a GmbH, registered as Wyker Dampfschiffs-Rhederei-Gesellschaft m.b.H.

• 1886

  Nordfriesland I enters service.

• 1885

  33 Wyker citizens led by Steffen-Heinrich Boetius found the Wyker Rhederei Gesellschaft.

• 1872

  Wyker Fährgenossenschaft operates ferry service between Wyk and Dagebüll with steamship Föhr et Dagebüll.

• 1662

  Regular ferry service between the North Frisian mainland and Föhr documented.

Essential lifeline ferry and bus operator for the North Frisian islands and Halligen.

• Föhr–Dagebüll ferry route

• Amrum–Dagebüll ferry route

• Halliglinie (Schlüttsiel–Hooge–Langeneß)

• Public bus transport on Föhr and Amrum

1. 1W.D.R.: Fährverbindungen in Norddeutschlandfaehre.de
2. 2Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei Föhr-Amrumwikidata.org
3. 3Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei Föhr-Amrumde.wikipedia.org