thatched roof, often 15 or 20 metres high, under which hay for the winter was stored. Location Where coastal defences were inadequate, haubargs were built on artificial mounds, called warfts, to protect them against flooding during storm surges. Until the 18th century, haubargs were built in an east-west direction, then, mostly for representational reasons, in a south-north orientation. Recent history and present No new haubargs have been built for about 100 years. When the then Adolf Hitler Koog was dyked in Dithmarschen during the Nazi era, in order to create a model Germanic settlement (Mustersiedlung) there, the houses built were haubargs, entirely atypical of Dithmarschen. In 1860 there were still 360 haubargs, but by 2008 only about 100 were left. Although haubargs had originally been built for their economic usefulness, they had since become too expensive for their rural owners. The thatched roof in particular, that often had an area of around 1,000m², was very expensive to maintain. As a result, most farmers have moved into other buildings to continue farming. The haubargs have mostly been sold to other, non-local owners, who preserve the exterior appearance, but often carry out major conversions of the interior into other uses. Some haubargs in private hands may be viewed from inside as well. The best known historic haubarg is the Roter Haubarg, with 99 windows, in the vicinity of Witzwort. In addition to a restaurant, it houses a museum in its historic rooms which offers an insight into the life and work of its former owners. The Tofthof in Westerhever is one of the few haubargs, that has been used for farming since 2005. The sociologist, Ferdinand Tönnies, was born in the haubarg of Die Riep near Oldenswort. References External links The Red Haubarg The haubarg of Hochdorf in Tating near St. Peter-Ording 3 haubargs in Welt The haubarg in the Frilandssmuseet in Denmark Nordfriesland Farmhouses Architecture in Frisia Vernacular architecture