Why did they name it Imsum? The story of Imsum is quite interesting. Imsum, or Imßen in Low German, is a village in the town of Geestland. It is in the district of Cuxhaven, Lower Saxony. Imsum was first mentioned in 1091. Back then, Imsum was a parish with several villages. These included Brinkamahof, Dingen, Lebstedt, Weddewarden, and Weddewarderbüttel.
Until 1954, Imsum was known as Dingen. Imagine that. The name change marked a new chapter for this little village.
Let’s talk about the Ochsenturm. It is Imsum’s most famous landmark. The Bartholomäus Church was built in 1218. It stood between Dingen, Lebstedt, and Weddewarden. In 1895, the church was torn down. The Ochsenturm is all that remains.
The Ochsenturm’s name has an interesting origin story. It involves oxen. Residents of Imsum, then Dingen, and Weddewarden could not agree where to build a church. So they decided to use oxen. They tied two equally strong oxen together. Each ox came from one of the villages. The animals were set loose between the villages. Where they lay down first, the church would be built. The oxen chose a spot near the Weser dike because the grass was lush. That is where the Ochsenturm stands today.
The village of Lebstedt met a tragic fate. It was lost to the Weser during the Christmas flood of 1717. This event changed Imsum’s landscape forever.
Imsum has seen many administrative changes. From 1793 to 1819, Imsum was under the Vogteigericht “Alten Landes Wursten”. Then, until 1852, it fell under the Vogteigericht “Landes Wursten.” Around 1810, during the French occupation, the villages briefly belonged to the Wremen commune in the Dorum canton. In 1840, Imsum became a rural community. From 1885 to 1932, it was part of the newly formed Lehe district. Later, it became part of Wesermünde and Cuxhaven districts.
In 1927, Weddewarden was incorporated into Wesermünde. This excluded Weddewarderbüttel. In 1957, the ceded parts of Imsum were renamed Weddewarden. Imsum also lost its school authority and church supervision to Bremerhaven.
Imsum’s location is key to its charm. It sits behind the Outer Weser dike. It lies north of Bremerhaven and south of the Land Wursten. Neighboring towns include Wremen, Langen, and Bremerhaven.
Imsum had a railway halt on the Bremerhaven–Cuxhaven line until 1975. In 1955, the bus line was extended from Weddewarden to Imsum. Back then, Line A already ran every 30 minutes. Today, the number 509 bus connects Imsum to Bremerhaven.
In 1974, Imsum lost its political independence. It became part of the unified municipality of Langen. Since 2015, Langen has merged with the Bederkesa collective municipality. Together, they form the new town of Geestland.
The Imsum coat of arms features the Ochsenturm. The heraldic artist Albert de Badrihaye designed it. The tower symbolizes Imsum’s identity. It is a reminder of the old church.
Today, Imsum offers a unique blend of history. The Ochsenturm offers views of the marshland and Weser estuary. Imsum provides a glimpse into the past. It is a village shaped by floods, oxen, and administrative changes. It is a place where history and legend intertwine.