Niederzwehren Cemetery
The Niederzwehren Cemetery in the Kassel district of Niederzwehren is a military cemetery built and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) . Originally part of the Niederzwehren POW camp from the First World War , it was expanded and redesigned in the 1920s. Another cemetery for Russian soldiers is in the immediate vicinity .
Occupancy
Only Commonwealth dead from the First World War rest in the cemetery , of which 1699 are British , 50 Canadians , 24 Australians , five South Africans , four New Zealanders and one Newfoundland - a total of 1783 graves. There is also a small memorial to 11 British and 2 Australian soldiers, whose gravesites have not been found, in this military cemetery .
history
The construction of the cemetery began in 1915 after a typhus epidemic broke out among the up to 20,000 Allied prisoners . In addition to members of the Commonwealth Armed Forces, French and 2,000 Russian soldiers, German guards also died. The most prominent victim among them was the painter Hermann Knackfuß .
Between 1922 and 1923 the Commonwealth War Graves Commission decided to set up central war cemeteries for all military personnel who had fallen or died in Germany during the First World War . This also included the cemetery in Niederzwehren, where the dead from over 190 existing military cemeteries in Baden-Württemberg , Bavaria , Lower Saxony , Hesse and Saxony were reburied. Among them was New Zealand climber and explorer James Robert Dennistoun .
architecture
The cemetery was planned by the Scottish architect Sir Robert Lorimer as a strictly geometric system. The architect adhered exactly to the building specifications and design guidelines of the CWGC. The building material used was predominantly white sand-lime brick .
The left entrance pillar bears the lettering "Niederzwehren Cemetery" and the right pillar the years of the First World War in Roman numerals MCMXIV MCMXVIII (1914 1918). The two pavilions at the entrance keep the register of the dead and the condolence and visitor book. The enclosure of the cemetery area consists of a one meter high wall.
The visual axis - viewed from the entrance - is formed by the altar-like “Stone of Remembrance” with the inscription “Their Name Liveth For Evermore” and the “Cross of Sacrifice”, a monumental stone cross with a stylized sword. Rows of graves are arranged on both sides; they are at ground level and have small beds . All tombstones are engraved from top to bottom with the emblem of the unit , the rank and name, the religious affiliation (if known) and with a memorial verse by relatives (if desired). When the tombstones were erected, they were not arranged according to origin or rank groups in order to symbolize equality in death. The grave plantings are about knee high. Otherwise the entire cemetery area is covered with lawn .
Literary mention
Christine Brückner wrote about the grave complex:
“Affected by the motorway and a feeder road, the cemetery of the Russian and English prisoners of war and their German medical personnel, all of whom fell victim to an epidemic in the First World War, is located. Beautiful treetops over beautiful gravestones! "
See also
Web links
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Niederzwehren Cemetery
- Niederzwehren Cemetery Commonwealth part
- Niederzwehren Cemetery Russian part
- Newspaper article in the Hessische Allgemeine from January 30, 1965
Coordinates: 51 ° 15 '50.2 " N , 9 ° 27' 55.7" E