Catholic cemetery (Braunschweig)

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Plan of the Catholic Cemetery
Friedenskapelle (former cemetery chapel)

The Catholic cemetery in Braunschweig is located on Helmstedter Straße . It is sponsored by the Roman Catholic parish of St. Aegidien . The Catholic cemetery was opened in 1901 and borders the city ​​cemetery and is located east of the main Protestant cemetery . Today it is 8.47 hectares. The cemetery is the final resting place of well-known personalities. On the grounds of the cemetery are the Catholic cemetery administration, the Resurrection Chapel and the Peace Chapel, the former Catholic cemetery chapel from 1901. The Catholic cemetery office is located on Spohrplatz. The Friedenskapelle is the seat of the memorial for victims of war and tyranny, Braunschweiger Friedhöfe eV

history

The Nicolaigemeinde (today's parish of St. Aegidien), the first Roman Catholic parish in Braunschweig since the Reformation, was founded in 1708. The cemetery of the Nicolaikirche , completed in 1712, was located directly at the church between Friesenstrasse and Sandweg (today Magnitorwall) from 1713. This cemetery could be used until 1796. In 1797 a new cemetery was built on Hochstrasse outside the city gates. In 1901 the cemetery was fully occupied and closed for further burials.

In 1901 the new Catholic cemetery was laid out near the main cemetery from 1887. The dean Karl Grube had acquired an approximately 3.5 hectare site on Helmstedter Strasse east of the Brodweg for the burial of Catholics. The cemetery was consecrated on November 1, 1901. The first burial also took place in November 1901. In 1901 the Catholic cemetery chapel was also built. At that time, the site was still outside the city limits of Braunschweig in the Braunschweig district. It was not until the city was expanded in 1934 that the cemetery was on urban soil.

In August 1957, work began on expanding the Catholic cemetery. With the cemetery regulations of October 1958, new guidelines were created for the design of the gravestones, the planting and the entire cemetery complex. The main aim of this order was to create a nature-loving cemetery. From 1973 to 1974 a new, larger cemetery chapel was built: The Resurrection Chapel. It offers space for 165 mourners. It was consecrated on May 16, 1974. The function of the old cemetery chapel was canceled.

In 2000 the Resurrection Chapel received a colored gable window with a picture of hope, which was designed by the deacon and church artist Claus Kilian . The former cemetery chapel was rededicated to the peace chapel in August 2001. Since then, it has housed the memorial for victims of war and tyranny and an exhibition room for themed events. It was opened to the public on June 26, 2001. In addition, a peace trail was laid out through all the cemeteries on Helmstedter Strasse, which opens up graves and memorials to the victims and fallen of the National Socialist regime and the Second World War. The concept was developed by a working group founded in 1997. One school takes on sponsorship of the memorial for one year at a time.

Tombs and burials

Memorial plaque for Kuno Rieke
  • Odilo Braun OP (1899–1981), Dominican priest and resistance fighter against the National Socialist regime
  • Hans Herloff Inhoffen (1906–1992), German biologist and chemist
  • Hartmut Scupin (1931–1996), German politician, Lord Mayor of Braunschweig

There is also a memorial plaque in the cemetery for Kuno Rieke (1897–1945 in Dachau concentration camp), German politician, President of the Braunschweig Parliament from 1930 to 1933.

The Dominicans of the St. Albertus Magnus Monastery have a common grave site in the cemetery.

A total of 244 dead from the Second World War and the Nazi tyranny lie in the cemetery. Five Sinti graves with a memorial plaque commemorate murdered Sinti. On the grave field of the anonymous crosses there are 56 cast concrete memorials in the form of crosses, which commemorate 201 foreign forced laborers from various European countries who perished in Braunschweig as a result of forced labor or bombing.

literature

  • On the move between time and eternity: 300 years of the Catholic Church in Braunschweig , Braunschweig 2008
  • City Archives Braunschweig : City Chronicle Braunschweig. Braunschweig since ~ 1930.

Web links

Commons : Catholic Cemetery  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The Friedenskapelle on vernetztes-gedaechtnis.de
  2. ↑ City Chronicle Braunschweig. on braunschweig.de

Coordinates: 52 ° 15 ′ 13.4 "  N , 10 ° 34 ′ 6.2"  E