Lytje Pole: the nickname of Schiermonnikoog
The meaning
Lytje Pole is the affectionate nickname islanders give Schiermonnikoog, in their own island language. 'Lytje' means small; compare the Groningen 'lutje' and the Frisian 'lyts'. 'Pole' (pronounced 'poole') resembles the Frisian 'pôlle': a tussock, a small overgrown patch of land or islet. Lytje Pole therefore means something like 'little island'.
The island language
Schiermonnikoog has its own language, Eilauners or Schiermonnikoogs, related to Frisian. It is spoken by only a small group of islanders, so as a visitor you are unlikely to hear it.
Where you'll come across Lytje Pole
- The Lytje Pole newspaper: the free information paper for visitors, already available on the ferry and found everywhere on the island. It contains practical information, addresses, a village map and activities.
- Lytjepole.nl: the island's online village newspaper.
- Lytje Pole herbal bitters: the traditional island tipple, available in cafés and restaurants and at the liquor store on the island.
- Watersports club Lytje Pole.
Frequently asked questions
+What does Lytje Pole mean?
Little island; it is Schiermonnikoog's nickname in the island language.
+Where can I find the Lytje Pole newspaper?
Free on the ferry and at various places on the island, such as the Het Baken information centre.
Sources
- VVV Schiermonnikoog, “Wat betekent Lytje Pole?”
- Ecomare, “Schiermonnikoog”
Read more
Schiermonnikoog in the First World War
German sailors washed ashore, the founding of the Vredenhof cemetery for the drowned in 1917, and how to visit Vredenhof on the Reddingsweg.
Schiermonnikoog in the Second World War
Occupation in 1940, the Schlei bunker village and De Wasserman, Vredenhof in wartime and the late liberation on 11 June 1945.
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