History

Finkenwerder, at first mentioned in 1236 was laying, as the most western of the islands of Hamburg, nearly forgotten for more or less 680 years in picturesque seclusion of the Elbe stream. However, this beautiful but not risk-free location demanded a lot of the inhabitants in their daily life and formed a strong, proud, home sticking and headstrong kind of men.

Hence it is not surprising Finkenwerder being a stronghold of German folklore. People from Finkenwerder have always known how to preserve and present their traditions in modern, entertaining and interesting style.

As of 1900 the Finkenwerder poets Gorch Fock (Johann Kinau), Hinrich Wriede, Jakob Kinau and particularly Rudolf Kinau have been the founders of the awareness of Finkenwerder's traditions.
They described the way of life of the Finkenwerder citizens, whose extraordinary composition was creating a colourful life on the island.

Although facing lots of problems, still today numerous of the characteristics of the islanders can be found. Things that disappeared from daily life still live on in the hearts of the Finkenwerder people.
Especially this spirit is the source of ever new ideas, with which the Finkwarder Danzkring fills its audience with enthusiasm for northern German folklore, also across the German borders.