Have you ever heard of a village that chose its own name? Tastrup’s story begins long before its first written mention in 1423. Located on the southeastern edge of Flensburg near Hochfeld and Kattloch Tastrup is part of the Angeln region. For centuries before that date people lived here. Archaeological finds show evidence of life in the Middle and Younger Stone Ages. Flint tools and even gold coins from a peat bog have been unearthed. A burial mound on the village edge tells of even earlier inhabitants. These finds prove Tastrup’s land was settled during the Stone Age. Imagine life then. Rind sheep swine goats and dogs were the common domestic animals. Farming was basic at best. Around 100 AD Angeln was a heavily forested region crisscrossed by swamps and water. It was sparsely populated and largely undeveloped. Later monasteries spurred significant progress in agriculture clearing forests and establishing exemplary farming practices.
The name Tastrup itself is a source of debate. Some believe it stems from the Norse god Thor. Others suggest a connection to names like Thori Thord Tosti or Thorsten. The mystery endures. When Tastrup was founded it became part of the Adelby parish. Adelby was the ‘mother village’ with Tastrup a ‘daughter village’ founded by settlers from Adelby.
Tastrup’s connection to Flensburg strengthened over time. A train station on the Flensburg-Satrup narrow-gauge railway line opened in 1901. This station features prominently in Tastrup’s local song. The song also mentions the village dairy and savings bank. The railway’s closure in 1938 marked a change. The dairy shut down in 1934 against the villagers’ wishes. The savings bank eventually merged with Freienwill’s. After World War II the Kleintastrup district emerged.
Tastrup’s administrative history is complex. It was an independent municipality until 1970. Then it became part of the Adelby municipality. In 1980 the municipality’s name officially changed to Tastrup. After 1974 it belonged to the Hűrup Amt. The strong ties to Flensburg remained. Tastrup’s residents attended Adelby’s church Tarup and Adelby’s schools and kindergartens. There were also links to the Tarup and Sünderup volunteer fire departments. The continuous expansion of Sünderup brought Flensburg increasingly closer to Tastrup. In 2007 a part of Tastrup was annexed. The expansion continues. A planned new housing development Tarup Südost is set to further expand Tarup and fuse with Tastrup.
The Tastrup annual village festival is a much-loved tradition. The local men’s choir the MGV Tastrup or ‘Eintracht’ Tastrup has existed since 1886. In 2023 Tastrup along with Maasbüll was finally integrated into the Hűrup municipality. The village’s history a fascinating blend of ancient settlement and modern integration is reflected in its unique coat of arms. The coat of arms depicts the Tastrup train station and two beech leaves. These represent the railway’s significance and the dominant tree species in the area. The three fields symbolize Tastrup-Dorf Kleintastrup and Tastrupfeld the three components of this remarkable village. The colours blue and gold symbolize Schleswig-Flensburg county. Tastrup’s story is far from over. The village continues to evolve a testament to its resilient spirit and its enduring connection to the land and its people.