40 years of the DGzRS on Fehmarn: A day of activities featuring an ‘Open Ship’ event and demonstrations

​Forty years ago, the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) reopened its volunteer station on Fehmarn. The sea rescue team led by Arne Fröse will mark this anniversary on Sunday 5 July 2026 with a day of activities in the harbour at Burgstaaken.

From 11 am to 3 pm, the volunteer sea rescue workers will be showcasing their work, providing an insight into their often dangerous missions at sea and demonstrating their skills during rescue demonstrations. Visitors can also get up close to the two sea rescue boats, the “Helene” and the “Romy Frank”, as well as the rescue cruiser “Bremen”, which is stationed in Großenbrode, during the Open Ship event. And perhaps even take the helm themselves.

On the day, the sea rescue team will be supported by the volunteer fire brigade and the Fehmarn branch of the German Life Saving Association (DLRG). Should the sea rescue team be called out on the day of the event, the ‘Open Ship’ event and demonstrations will have to be cancelled at short notice. The DGzRS asks for your understanding in this matter. First Pictures of the new lifeboat

Almost 130 years of DGzRS history on Fehmarn

The DGzRS station on Fehmarn was founded as early as 1897/1898. After 1945, it was initially closed, before Burgstaaken became the home port of the sea-rescue cruiser “Hamburg”. The DGzRS reopened the Fehmarn volunteer station on 1 June 1986 at the Puttgarden ferry terminal – almost exactly 40 years ago.

Today, around 20 volunteer rescue workers are on duty from the island. The station has two berths: the 10.1-metre-long sea rescue boat “Romy Frank” is stationed at Puttgarden ferry terminal in the north of the island. In Burgstaaken harbour in the south of Fehmarn lies its 8.9-metre-long counterpart, the “Helene”.

53 stops between Borkum and Usedom

The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) is responsible for maritime search and rescue operations in the German waters of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. To fulfil its duties, it maintains around 60 rescue cruisers and boats on standby at 53 stations between Borkum in the west and Usedom in the east. Round the clock, whatever the weather.

Year after year, the sea rescue teams carry out around 2,000 missions, coordinated by the German Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Bremen, which is part of the DGzRS. The work of the sea rescue service is funded exclusively by voluntary donations, without any public funding. Since the DGzRS was founded in 1865, its crews have rescued more than 87,700 people from distress at sea or brought them to safety. The Federal President is the patron of the sea rescue service.