Als
Als (German Alsen) is an island in the Baltic sea, off the coast of Schleswig, in the Little Belt. It belonges to Denmark, but, as a result of the Danish war of 1864, it became German until 1920.
- Area: 321 km²
- Inhabitants: ca. 60.000
Sønderburg, the capital, with a good harbour and a considerable trade, is connected with the mainland by a bridge. Other places of note are Nordborg and Augustenborg. On the peninsula Kegnæs at the south west end of Als there is a lighthouse. Here, in 1848, the Danes directed their main attack against Fieldmarshal Wrangel's army. In 1864 the Prussians under Herwarth von Bittenfeld took Alsen, which was occupied by 9000 Danish troops, thus bringing the Danish war to a close. Since 1870 Als has been fortified.
See also: List of islands of Denmark