Fellhorst

Fellhorst is a municipality in the Duchy of Schleswig in Schleswig-Holstein-Jutland in the Seafaring Confederation, located in Landkreis Rendsburg. It is the third smallest municipality of the duchy by area, and the fourth smallest in the country as a whole.

Etymology
Fellhorst is a compound of the words Fell, meaning "fur", and Horst, a historical word meaning "(place to gather) wood". In conjuncture with the neighbouring municipality of Wolfskrug ("Wolves' Inn") it is believed that the region was historically a popular place for hunting wolves.

History
The village is first mentioned in a document from 855 as Felthursti as one of the southernmost inhabited parts of the territory of the Danes, under the direct rule of the Jarl of Haithabu, the predecessor city of the current Kreisfreie Stadt Schleswig. Other names given to the place throughout history have been Filthursti, Felthurst, Fellhurst, and eventually Fellhorst.

Fellhorst was made a Gemeinde under the reorganisation of subdivisions in the Duchy of Schleswig in 1834, and was assigned to the Landkreis Ostschleswig. Ostschleswig merged with Landkreis Westschleswig to form Landkreis Außerschleswig in 1955. Finally, in 1991 Außerschleswig merged with Landkreis Rendsburg, in which Fellhorst is still located today.

Geography
Fellhorst is located in a small depression in the landscape along the road between Hummelfeld and Wolfskrug. With a total area of just 0.59 km², it is the third smallest municipality of the Duchy of Schleswig, the fourth smallest municipality of Schleswig-Holstein-Jutland, and the fifth smallest of the Seafaring Confederation. It is bounded by Ascheffel in the north, east and south, and by Wolfskrug in the west. The nearest larger village is Fleckeby, which lies approx. 2.5 km to the north.

Fellhorst is classified as a rural municipality under the law of the Duchy of Schleswig.

Demographics
With 44 inhabitants, Fellhorst is amongst the 50 least populated municipalities of Schleswig-Holstein-Jutland, as well as the 50 least populated municipalities of the Seafaring Confederation.