Song View

The song is closely linked to the band's last concert before their break-up on July 9, 1988 in the Kursaal in Westerland on the island of Sylt. "Westerland" is an ironic ode to the town of Westerland on the island of Sylt. In it, Die Ärzte take aim at the typical Sylt tourists – superficial, pretentious and rich. Written by Farin Urlaub, the lyrics express a mixture of longing for the North Sea and sarcasm towards the luxury image of Sylt. Lines such as "It's a bit more expensive, but you're among your own kind" underline the mocking note.
Originally, the song was to be called "Helgoland". The demo version sang about the island of Helgoland, but the band later decided on Westerland, apparently because of the planned farewell concert on Sylt.
Fortunately, the break-up of Die Ärzte (the band name is not declined) was only temporary. In 1993, Bela B. and Farin Urlaub returned with bassist Rodrigo González.