Gender cemetery
The gender cemetery is a burial place of old Dithmarsch peasant families in the Schleswig-Holstein community of Lunden . Its importance lies in the large number of preserved tombstones , steles and brick grave cellars , which date back to the 16th century. Altogether there are 67 graves in the gender cemetery, which has been declared a cultural monument .
history
During the time of the Dithmarsch peasant republic, some farming families had great political and economic importance in the region. Belonging to the leading sexes not only gave them reputation and wealth, but also offered them security in the face of the feuds that regularly occur . The sense of togetherness went so far that perjuries were sworn in court to protect family members. In order to strengthen the farming genders, members of non-family origin were often accepted.
During the Dithmarsch peasant republic the Lunden families were represented in decision-relevant positions of the council of the forty-eight regents . In order to distinguish themselves from the general public, these families also claimed exposed positions in the cemetery, elaborate tombs, steles or grave cellars.
Although there are no more graves from the founding period, the gender cemetery, like the St. Laurentius Church , dates from the 12th century. In 1875 the burial place was closed. Since then, burials have taken place in a new cemetery in the south of the village. Relatives may only be buried in the Pfahler crypt. A burial took place in it for the last time in 1945.
location
The gender cemetery is located on an old dune to protect against flooding, together with the St. Laurentius Church . Even with the great flood of November 1, 1436 , both were spared the masses of water.
In addition, the citizens of Lunden built a 1 to 2 meter high wall around the area. This not only strengthened flood protection, but also served as a bulwark against the advancing Danes during the Danish-Hanseatic War (1509–1512) . A path led along the inside of the walled area. Over the years the custom arose of carrying the corpse several times in the coffin along the cemetery border in this way before it was buried. Today this path no longer exists.
The field division of the cemetery results from the course of the former main roads leading to the burial site. These were the Flehder, Lundener and Leher stalks and the Presterstegel. Although all the paths are no longer available today, their former location is known. The graves of the richest and most prominent families lie along these main routes. The graves of the Sulemannen, Wuthmannen and Swyne are located on the Flehder Stegel, those of the Nannen, Ebbingmannen and some of the Russebolingmannen on the Lundener Stegel. Members of the Vorhebkemannen family and some families of the Russebolingmannen were buried on the Presterstegel, while the graves of the Jerremannen and Helmkes are located on the Leher Stegel. The south of the church apparently seemed to have been preferred to the north, because the particularly respected families of Nannen and Swyne had their burial places there.
In the southeast of the church there are no graves with grave slabs. Presumably the poor of the place were buried here.
Burial cellar
A special feature of the gender cemetery are its grave cellars. All grave cellars were built before 1700. Most of the grave cellars are aligned in an east-west direction according to the orientation of the church, but some also adapt to the course of the paths. The oldest date from the 15th, the majority from the 16th and 17th centuries. Although the grave cellars could be inherited or sold, the original name was retained. Thirteen of the original nineteen grave cellars are still preserved. Many have fallen into disrepair and collapsed over the centuries. Responsible for this is probably the theft of the sandstone grave covers. As there are hardly any stones in the region, many of them were misused as stairs.
Gravestones and steles
origin
The gravestones were mostly made of Weser sandstone . They were transported by ship via Bremen into the Eider to the former port of Wollersum. Some grave slabs come from quarries near Namur and are made of Belgian granite or blue marble . The rough stones were often procured while the person to be buried was alive and engraved in the factory . The Lunden Stensnider only added the date of death .
In addition to the usual grave slabs, the Lunden families occasionally erected steles on the graves. Today there are still seven grave steles in the gender cemetery. Since they were less exposed to the weather due to their upright position, the surface structure was better preserved than with conventional grave slabs.
layout
The symbols of the four evangelists were often affixed to the corners of the tombstones . The Son of Man symbolizes the Apostle Matthew , a lion Mark , the bull Luke and the eagle symbolizes the Apostle John . In addition, each tombstone bears the coat of arms of the sex to which the deceased belonged, on the right side of the tombstone the coat of arms of the man and his gender, on the left the corresponding details of the wife. A circumferential inscription lists the names and dates of the deceased. Some grave slabs are decorated with scenes of the crucifixion or depictions of the resurrection or the Last Judgment .
Important tombs
Grave of Peter Swyn
Peter Swyn was buried in grave number eleven . His grave stele, an atonement stone , shows, among other things, his murder. Next to it is a grave slab with the words Pater Patriae , Father of the Fatherland, which Swyne's heirs had erected. The inscription of the stone reads: ANNO CHRISTI MDXXXVII AM DAGE MARIE HELVART DEN XV. AVGVSTI IS BURIED HIR PETER SVIIN.
Nannenkeller
The largest grave cellar of the gender cemetery is the Nannenkeller. It is 5.60 m long, 3.20 m wide and 2.20 m high. The wall thickness of the wall is 0.30 m. It can be reached via a 1.10 m wide stone staircase. This was originally covered with a stone slab. The four iron rings attached to it made it possible to transport them during burials and thus to access the stairs. Stone bases or iron racks were used to set up the coffins. Ventilation was through two openings, one at the entrance and the other on the south wall. In order to make the effects of moisture unrecognizable, the cellar was whitewashed before each burial .
Preacher's cellar
Numerous pastors and their family members were buried in grave number eight at the expense of the congregation. It was originally located inside the former southern church. His grave slab measures 2.60 × 1.70 m and is lavishly decorated. In addition to the symbols of the evangelists, it bears the legend Claves Kruse († 1617) . The center of the grave slab is adorned with a large portal with a gable roof. Two angels with an hourglass and a skull rest on it .
Web links
- Lunden family cemetery
- St. Laurentius Church with a family cemetery
- 50. - Lunden cemetery - restoration work on the cemetery complex and church
- Lunden family cemetery
literature
- The Lunden family cemetery. On behalf of the church council, written by Hermine Lehmann, revised and with contributions to the history of Lunden and the Lunden St. Laurentius Church increased by Johann-Albrecht Janzen, pastor in Lunden, 1978, publishing house Karl Schallhorn
Coordinates: 54 ° 19 '59.9 " N , 9 ° 1' 23.1" E