Berlin South-Western Cemetery
The Berlin South-Western Cemetery is a Commonwealth war cemetery in the village of Stahnsdorf (south of Berlin) on the Stahnsdorf south-west cemetery . In this cemetery are fallen , deceased prisoners of war and victims of World War I was buried.
history
The first burials and transfers of deceased British prisoners of war to the Stahnsberg Southwest Cemetery began as early as 1920. On November 20, 1924, the British Government and the City Synodal Association of the Evangelical Church signed a lease agreement for a property on which the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC ) was established. In 1992 this cemetery was redesigned and restored according to the uniform regulations of the CWGC.
Occupancy
With the completion and inauguration of this memorial, a total of 1172 victims found their final resting place. In this square were mostly Army soldiers and Marine relatives interred in addition were buried also members of the Merchant Navy . The largest national proportion comes from the United Kingdom of Great Britain, other burials come from Australia , Canada , South Africa , Newfoundland and New Zealand . Those who died in German captivity died in camps set up in the Prussian provinces of Brandenburg , Silesia and Pomerania . In addition to the CWGC cemetery, a military cemetery for Italian casualties has been built on the south-west cemetery in Stahnsdorf, which was built and looked after by Italy .
layout
After the redesign and redesign of the cemetery in 1992, it has now been designed according to the uniform pattern of the CWGC.
Central elements
The central features are the sacrificial cross on an axis and the altar stone , a straight gravel path forms a connection between these two striking elements. The altar stone (Stone of Remembrance) bears the words "Their Name Liveth For Evermore". The Cross of Sacrifice is a St. Patrick's cross to which a crusader sword is attached. To the right and left of the hall of honor there are two identical tower elements, one of which is the cemetery register.
Tombstones
The tombstones are arranged on both sides, in a semi-arch, along the gravel path between the high cross and the altar stone, and consist of a white sand-lime brick . Read from top to bottom the unit , the name with rank , the religious affiliation (if known) and an accompanying verse of the relatives (if desired) are engraved. The rows of graves and tombstones are not arranged according to origin or rank, so that an "equality" of the dead is symbolized.
literature
- Peter Hahn (Ed.): Südwestkirchhof Stahnsdorf. Lexicon, reader, park guide. Oase-Verlag, Badenweiler 2003, ISBN 3-88922-057-6 .
Web links
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) - Berlin South - Western Cemetery
- Website Stahnsdorf municipality (military cemetery)
Coordinates: 52 ° 23 ′ 1.5 ″ N , 13 ° 10 ′ 31.1 ″ E