Wilhelm Jessen

Wilhelm Jessen (born March 22, 1879 in Großsoltholz ; † August 29, 1949 in Westerland ) was a German school principal , local researcher and archivist .

Live and act

Wilhelm Jessen was a son of the land owner Jes Heinrich Jessen (1843-1900) and his wife Maria Dorothea, née Hansen (1851-1936). In 1895/96 he attended the preparatory institute in Flensburg and from 1896 to 1899 the teachers' college in Hadersleben . In 1899 he worked as a teacher in Flensburg and in 1900 moved to Gasse bei Scherrebek , where he taught until 1907. He then taught in Sønderborg until 1914 . In 1913 he passed the exams for secondary school classes in mathematics, physics, chemistry and mineralogy. From April 1, 1914 until his retirement on December 31, 1947, he worked as deputy principal at the middle school in Westerland.

Jessen dedicated himself in particular to local studies. During his time in Sønderborg he lectured at the adult education center in Norburg . During the First World War , when an island guard was set up on Sylt , he researched the history of Rantum for the first time . During the war he was taken prisoner and after the end of the war he campaigned in word and writing that Sylt should remain with Germany. In 1924 he took over the maintenance of the island's archives. In 1929 he suggested setting up an archive in Keitum , which in 1948 was merged with the archive of the city of Westerland. In 1925 he discovered family papers in the house of the late Uwe Jens Lornsen , which gave new impulses to research on the person. Jessen himself was considered one of the best experts on Lornsen.

Jessen was awarded the Iron Cross, 2nd class. He received the Wound Badge, the Front Fighter Badge and the Cross of Merit for 40 years of service.

Wilhelm Jessen, who died at the end of August 1949, had been married to Emmy Seibert (* 1899) since July 31, 1914. The couple had two daughters and their son Hellmut (born July 2, 1916), who later became the spa director in Kampen .

literature

• W. Krüger: Jessen, Wilhelm . in: Schleswig-Holstein Biographical Lexicon . Volume 1. Karl Wachholtz Verlag, Neumünster 1970, pp. 168-169