North of the Dornbuschwald, the most important landmark of the island is watching over for well over 100 years. We are talking about the lighthouse “Dornbusch”. It was built in 1888 on Hiddensee's highest hill, the Schluckwieksberg (72.5 m above sea level).
In 1927, it was decided to give the tower a robe of reinforced concrete. And so that 2.4 seconds of light and 7.6 seconds of darkness alternate in equal periods (different for each lighthouse), Germany's last lighthouse keeper did his duty here until a few years ago. In 2009 the "White Giant" adorned a “Deutsche Post” stamp.
The local history museum ("Heimatmuseum") in Kloster
The museum was established on the Baltic Sea beach of Kloster in the former sea distress station built in 1888. Since May 2009, the museum has been showing a new permanent exhibition on the history of the island in its rooms. The topics of first settlement, the famous Hiddensee gold jewellery (the original of the valuable jewellery is not on Hiddensee, however, but in Stralsund), everyday life, seafaring, fishing, education and the development of tourism, transport and infrastructure are the main topics of this exhibition.
The “Gerhart-Hauptmann-Haus”
The poet Gerhart Hauptmann, born in 1862, first visited Hiddensee in 1885. He lived in Haus Seedorn, which is now open to the public as the “Gerhart-Hauptmann-Haus”, during the summer months from 1926 to 1943. The exhibitions provide information about his life and work. What makes them special is that they are located in the poet's only residence still preserved in its original form. Workrooms, bedrooms and other rooms provide an insight into his way of life. This also applies to his wine cellar, which can be visited. Last but not least, the Gerhart Hauptmann House offers an excellent selection of literature by the poet. Hauptmann died in Agnetendorf in Schlesien. He was transferred to Hiddensee and buried in the island cemetery on 28 July 1946.
