Riensberg cemetery
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The Riensberger Friedhof in the Schwachhausen district of Bremen is a resting place designed as a park cemetery with a lake, several bridges, many artistically designed tombs , three larger mausoleums , a chapel built in the brick Gothic style and an old crematorium . The entire Riensberger Friedhof facility has been a listed building since 2011 , the crematorium since 2000.
history
After the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), the Bremen Senate planned a replacement for the two cemeteries at Doventor and Herdentor, which were to be abandoned. The land requirement for the railway construction was the main reason. At that time, the approved site was still a good hour away from the gates of Bremen. At the same time, another area was found in the Walle district , which was to be created as a western addition to the Riensberg cemetery.
The landscape gardener Jancke from Aachen won a competition to design the two resting places as parks, i.e. the Riensberger and Waller cemeteries , with the design of a 19th century gardening style.
The construction phase of the cemeteries lasted from November 1872 to April 1875. On May 1, 1875, both cemeteries were opened. At the beginning of the 1880s, the garden design was assigned to Wilhelm Benque , who was also responsible for the design of the public park .
Large parts of the Riensberg cemetery were affected by the Second World War and had to be extensively renovated. The horticultural department expanded the area to its current size of 28.1 hectares.
The chapel , built in the brick Gothic style , was last restored in 1998.
The new Jewish cemetery has been under construction since 2006 between the cemetery and the route of tram line 6.
Park design
The Riensberg cemetery was one of the first in Germany to be built in a "mixed style". Characteristic for this are the formal, architecturally well thought-out and shielded areas for the graves integrated into the landscaped park.
Horseshoe-shaped paths in the entrance area, in the middle of which the chapel stands, continue throughout the eastern part of the cemetery. The chapel is surrounded by evergreen plants, conifers, rhododendrons and azaleas .
In the entire area you will find large beds, wide lawns, grove-like oak groups and long avenues of lime trees.
On the west side of the cemetery, a large, bay-rich lake was excavated with the help of a steam screw , which is connected to a wide watercourse that runs around almost the entire cemetery. From this many curved, smaller water courses led to the grave fields. Due to the no longer functioning drainage system , some of the water courses have silted up for decades.
administration
The management and maintenance of the Riensberg cemetery has been the responsibility of Umweltbetrieb Bremen , cemeteries department (previously Stadtgrün Bremen ). Since the former administration building ( → location ) was expanded in 2000 , the central administration of all cemeteries in Bremen has been located here.
chapel
The cemetery chapel, the cemetery supervisor's house and the mortuary were built in 1875 based on a design by building inspector Johannes Rippe . They have been a listed building in Bremen since 1984 .
Organ: See Riensberg cemetery chapel
Former crematorium
The first crematorium in Northern Germany is in the cemetery . It was designed by the architect Heinrich Wilhelm Behrens and completed in 1907 on the western shore of the lake. It was built in neoclassical style and contains a dome-like party hall in Art Nouveau style .
In 1988 it was taken out of service because it was technically out of date. Because of its artistic importance, it has been a listed building since 2000 (see list of cultural monuments in Schwachhausen ).
The former crematorium has been the Riensberger Friedhof columbarium for the burial place of urns since spring 2002 .
Gravesites
The area was raised when the cemetery was built and for the first time allowed a two-layer occupancy of the cemetery.
According to a design by the horticultural director Erich Ahlers , an anonymous burial ground for urns was created in 1974. Due to a lack of space, there are no more funerals here.
In the meantime, urns are almost exclusively buried in the cemetery, as the soil conditions for burials are unfavorable in large parts of the complex.
Graves and monuments
The visitor will find many artistic tombs, mausoleums and tombs made of alabaster , marble or other noble materials in this cemetery. The Office for Monument Preservation has classified over 70 of these tombs as worthy of protection. Art history tours, organized by the Focke Museum , can be used.
During a walk through the cemetery, a piece of cultural history is conveyed at the same time , as the graves of many well-known and famous Bremen residents are located here.
Interesting tombs
A selection of particularly interesting tombs:
- Schmiedell Mausoleum: Johann Heinrich Schmiedell had it built for his son Hans-Theodor, who died at the age of 23 in Rome as a result of an electric shock . The side of the mausoleum facing the path therefore bears the words "To Our Beloved Son". The facade of the Art Nouveau mausoleum consists entirely of polished black stones, decorated with bronze applications. The interior, which is illuminated by the dome-shaped skylight, is mainly made of white marble. The central object is a white statue (marble or alabaster) of a couple lying in their arms. The actual crypt is located in the basement, which can be reached through another door. The stairs to the basement are made of gray granite (grid square Z, → location ).
- Right next to the Schmiedell mausoleum is the urn mausoleum of the Bautz and Duckwitz families. It is built in the same style as its larger neighbor. The gray granite and the elaborately designed bronze door create a nice contrast to the black Schmiedell mausoleum. The bronze door is one of the most delicate works in the entire cemetery.
- Lüder Rutenberg mausoleum : It stands to the east of the crematorium and is built in the classicism style. The green copper roof and the tall statue on the roof make it visible from afar. It is also worth mentioning the elaborately crafted bronze-colored door, which is framed by a portal rich in figures. Lüder Rutenberg built the mausoleum in honor of his son Dietrich Christian Rutenberg, who was murdered in Madagascar . On the highest point of the roof there is a life-size representation of him, created by the Bremen sculptor Diedrich Samuel Kropp . The crypt is located below the building and is sealed by a stone slab (grave number AA 17/25, → location ).
- Mausoleum Johann Höpken : A large, open, stand-alone monument built in the classicism style with the central figure The Hope by the sculptor Carl Steinhäuser . As before, the crypt is located below the building and is also sealed here by a stone slab (grave number R 276, → location ).
- Gustav Woldemar Focke family grave : tomb built in the style of a Gothic church, which is one of the largest tombs in the cemetery with a height and width of around 6 meters (S 43-45, → Lage ).
Schmiedell mausoleum
Rutenberg Mausoleum
Mausoleum by
Johann Höpken
Family grave of
G. W. Focke
- Family grave August Hammerschlag: Again in the form of a Gothic church designed grave and is around 6 meters high and 5 meters wide (grave number U136-138, → location ).
- Wätjen-Berck family grave: Even from the chapel, the approximately 5-meter-high granite central monument with bronze putti is striking. There are also other objects such as a large grave slab and two stone benches. Everything is surrounded by a cast iron fence (grid square W, → position ).
- Family grave Johann Georg Lohmann : A richly decorated tombstone around three meters high. The integrated white marble plate shows a filigree figure of a woman and a sailing ship (grid square AA / Z, → location ).
- GW Grommé family grave: At around 6 meters, it is also one of the highest monuments in the cemetery. The width of around 7 meters also makes it a great work of art. Halfway up there is a bronze angel (grid square AA, → position ).
- Alfred Lohmann family grave: In addition to the crematorium and the Rutenberg mausoleum, it is the third larger object on the north side of the lake, conspicuous by the six high columns and the figure of a woman (grave number EE 361, → Lage ).
- Heinrich August Gildemeister family grave created by Fritz Behn : The tomb is dominated by the superhuman, half-naked figure of a woman in Art Deco style (location: grid square EE, near the Schmiedell mausoleum).
Family grave of
August Hammerschlag
Family grave of
Johann G. Lohmann
Family grave of
G. W. Grommé
Family grave of
H. A. Gildemeister
- In addition to the two mentioned closed mausoleums Schmiedell and Rutenberg, there is also a third, larger mausoleum of this type. It is the former burial site of the Wilkens family, which was returned to the horticultural office at that time in 1972. In 1974, pump systems were installed in the mausoleum to supply the cemetery with irrigation water. The building still has this function today (location: grid square Z, → location ).
Personalities
Below is a list of well-known and famous people who were buried in the Riensberg cemetery.
Nationally and internationally known people
- Emil Brenning (1837–1915), philologist, professor and literary historian at the old grammar school (grave site T 0337A).
- Karl Carstens - lawyer and Federal President († 1992, grave location U 612)
- Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz - German diplomat († 1973, grave location V 101)
- Dietz Edzard - painter († 1963, grave location AA 036a)
- Kurt Edzard - sculptor († 1972, grave location AA 036a)
- Eberhard Fechner - actor and director († 1992, grave location D 0284)
- Arthur Fitger - painter and poet († 1909, grave location U 192–195)
- Gustav Woldemar Focke - doctor and botanist, grandson of HW Olbers († 1877, see under interesting burial sites )
- Henrich Focke - aircraft designer and helicopter pioneer († 1979, grave location V 632/633)
- August Freudenthal - teacher, poet and editor, known as "Heidedichter" († 1898, grave site Y 975)
-
Harry Frommermann - founder of the Comedian Harmonists;
on the tombstone is Harry Frohmann , his name while emigrating to the USA († 1975, grave location T 299) - Friedrich Gansberg - educator and writer, important representative of the reform school movement († 1950, grave site X 393)
- Alfred Walter Heymel - writer, co-founder of the magazine "Die Insel" († 1914, grave location U 120a / b)
- Ottilie Hoffmann - co-founder of the women's, acquisition and training association Bremen († 1925, grave site S 60)
- Auguste Kirchhoff - social politician († 1940, grave location AA 289)
- Johann Georg Kohl - travel writer and librarian († 1878, grave location U 69)
- Arno Theodor Kunath - gymnastics teacher, classified the gymnastics exercises for the German Gymnastics Federation, (* February 27, 1864, † October 27, 1936, grave location W357a)
- Walther Melzer - General of the Infantry († 1961, grave location D 0259) Commanding General of the XXIII. Army Corps in World War II
- Ernst Müller-Scheeßel , real name: Ernst Müller - artist († 1936, grave location U 70)
- Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers - doctor and astronomer († 1849, grave location C 7)
- Magdalene Pauli , b. Melchers - artist name: Marga Berck, author of Sommer in Lesmona († 1970, grave location T 0631A)
- Rudolf Alexander Schröder - architect, translator and writer († 1962, grave location U 590)
- Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach - General, after the Battle of Stalingrad in captivity, sentenced to death by Hitler and Stalin (later pardoned) († 1976, grave location R 175)
- Wilhelm Souchon - Admiral († 1946, grave site FF 0005A)
- Herbert Steinmetz - actor († 1986, grave location CC 1786A)
Entrepreneur
- Friedrich Achelis - President of North German Lloyd († 1917, grave site W)
- Johannes C. Achelis - businessman and senator († 1913, grave site W)
- Oltmann Johann Dietrich Ahlers - Director of the German Steamship Company "Hansa" († 1910, grave number EE 139, → location )
- Eduard Crüsemann , Conrad Carl - wholesale merchant and co-founder of North German Lloyd († 1869, grave location O 25/26 / 104a / 105a)
- Carsten Dressler - Brewery owner († 1929, grave site S 147)
- Cornelius Edzard - aviation pioneer, Atlantic aviator, flight instructor and airport director († 1962, grave location AA)
- Emil Finke - manufacturer of mineral and lubricating oils († 1911, grave location O 203–205)
- Carl Francke - industrialist († 1931, grave site AA 391–393)
- Walter Gillessen - entrepreneur (raw tobacco trade), German managing partner of the Bremen Tobacco Exchange († 1974, grave location GG 0241)
- Josef Johannes Arnold Hachez - chocolate manufacturer († 1901, grave location W 265–268)
- Johann Hackfeld - merchant of sugar and fertilizer in Hawaii († 1932, grave location Z 329)
- Johann Höpken - businessman, owner of the company J. & G. Höpken († 1877, see under Sightseeing graves )
- Louis Eduard Ichon - operator of several steamship lines († 1890, grave location V 497/498)
- Johann Jacobs - Kaufmann (Jacobs coffee) († 1958, grave location W 275)
- Paul Ludwig von Kapff - businessman, owner of a wine importer († 1911, grave location U 109–114)
- Gottfried Koch - manufacturer († 1942, grave site W 448/449)
- Alfred Lohmann - businessman, founded the import and export company Lohmann & Co. in Australia († 1919, grave location EE 358–361)
- Johann Georg Lohmann - businessman and director of the North German Lloyd († 1892, see under interesting graves )
- Hermann Henrich Meier - businessman, politician and co-founder of North German Lloyd († 1898, grave location O 25/26 / 104a / 105a)
- Johann Friedrich Missler (or Missler ) - businessman († 1922, grave site T 268)
- Eduard Schopf - businessman and founder of the Eduscho company († 1935, grave location Z 56a – 58a)
- Carl Schütte - businessman, with his brother the most important German petroleum importer († 1917, grave site G 179)
- Franz Ernst Schütte - businessman, with his brother the most important German petroleum importer († 1911, grave number V 117/237, → location )
- Friedrich Adolf Vinnen - Bremen shipowner and politician († 1926, grave location Z 129)
- Christian Heinrich Wätjen - businessman († 1887, grave number W 228, → location )
- Hermann Otto Wendt - businessman († 1920, grave location Z 49)
- Hermann Dietrich Upmann , - banker and businessman, founder of the H. Upmann brand , founder of the cigar company Gebrüder Upmann & Co. Bremen, († 1894)
Bremen personalities
- Hermann Apelt - lawyer and senator († 1960, grave location FF 276)
- Carl Barkhausen - Mayor and President of the Senate († 1917, grave site T 618)
- Friedrich Biermann - businessman and senator († 1923, grave location EE 341)
- Charly (Heinz) Born - concert organizer, producer, guitarist († 2002, grave location AA 182a)
- Cecilie Brickenstein (1886–1979), deaconess, member of the Bremen Parliament ( DNVP )
- Clemens Buff - lawyer, notary and mayor († 1949, grave location W 99)
- Martin Donandt - judge and mayor († 1937, grave location R 92)
- Arnold Duckwitz - businessman, senator, minister († 1881, grave number V 97/98/218/219, → location )
- Sophus Edlefsen (pseudonym: Sophus Elden ) - customs inspector, poet, writer († 1943, burial site: ~ FF 35)
- Carl Eeg - architect († 1956, grave location AA 196)
- Johann Ludwig Egestorff - businessman. Acquired the first grave site in the Riensberg cemetery on the opening day († 1880, grave location N 88/89/94/95)
- Diedrich Ehmck - historian and senator († 1908, grave location Q 174/175)
- Ernst Ehrhardt - architect and master builder († 1944, grave location V 622a)
- Hans Eilers - architect, town planner and chief building director of the town planning office
- Christian Friedrich Feldmann - teacher and senator († 1883, grave location N 9)
- Ludwig Franzius - hydraulic engineer († 1903, grave location AA 49)
- Hermann Frese - tobacco merchant, member of the Reichstag and Senator († 1909, grave location AA 375/379)
- Carl Theodor Gevekoht - businessman, envoy of the Bremen Senate († 1850, grave site S 43–45)
- Georg Eduard Gildemeister - architect († 1946, grave location R 89/90)
- Johann Mathias Gildemeister - businessman, councilor and senator († 1837, grave location R 161)
- Otto Gildemeister - Senator, Mayor, translator and journalist († 1902, grave site W 13/14)
- Ernst Grohne - Museum Director of the Gewerbemuseum and the Focke Museum († 1957, grave location U 151)
- Eduard Grunow - lawyer, President of the Transport Authority († 1954, grave location Q 134)
- August-Friedrich Hagedorn - Chairman of the SPD parliamentary group (1946), President of the Bremen parliament (1946–1966) († 1969, grave location EE 368/369)
- Adolf Hausschild - print shop owner, printed several Bremen newspapers († 1950, grave location AA 396)
- Friedrich Wilhelm Heineken - Senator († 1848, grave site T 637–638)
- Rudolf Hess - pediatrician and clinic director (1886–1962) († 1962, grave location FF 246)
- Hermann Hildebrand - lawyer, notary and mayor († 1939, grave location X 432)
- Eduard Ichon - director, theater director and one of the founders of the Bremer Schauspielhaus († 1943, grave location V 497/498)
- Johannes (Hans) Ihler (1899–1976), commercial teacher and member of the Bremen citizenship (SPD)
- Beta Isenberg - chairwoman of the association, provided the financial basis for a children's home ("Isenberg-Heim") († 1933, grave location AA 68–68c)
- Wilhelm Kaisen - Senator and Mayor († 1979, grave location F 164)
- Diedrich Samuel Kropp - sculptor († 1913)
- Alfred Lohmann - wholesale merchant and one of the founders of the Deutsche Ozean-Reederei (DOR) (see under Places of Interest )
- August Lürman - Senator and Mayor († 1902, grave location AA 43a)
- Carl Friedrich Gottfried Mohr - Lawyer, Senator and Mayor († 1888, grave location R 253)
- Heinrich Müller - architect († 1890, grave site W 53/54)
- Friedrich Neumark - architect († 1957, grave location BB 0206A)
- Jules Eberhard Noltenius - 2nd mayor next to Wilhelm Kaisen († 1976, grave location AA; grave was leased in 2010)
- Gustav Pauli - art historian and museum director († 1938, grave location T 631)
- Johann Georg Poppe - Architect († 1915, grave location grid square V 518.1, corner to grid square F and G)
-
Dietrich Christian Rutenberg - natural scientist, only son of Lüder Rutenberg († 1878 in Madagascar )
He is probably not physically buried there, but the mausoleum was built in his father's honor. - Lüder Rutenberg - Architect of the Kunsthalle Bremen († 1890, see under Places of Interest )
- Hugo Schauinsland - Museum Director of the Municipal Collections for Natural Sciences and Ethnology, today Übersee-Museum, (* 1857, † 1937, grave location X 894)
- Isak Hermann Albrecht Schumacher - Senator and Mayor of Bremen (* 1780, † 1853, grave location R-249-252)
- Eduard Scotland - architect and graphic artist († 1945, grave location Z 234) (the grave site no longer exists)
- Johann Smidt - diplomat and mayor († 1857, grave location U 171a – d)
- Heinz Stoffregen - architect († 1929, grave location V 649)
- Käte van Tricht - musician, cathedral organist in Bremen from 1933–1973 († 1996, grave location V 1173)
- Heinrich Wiegand - Shipowner, General Director of North German Lloyd († 1909)
literature
- Herbert Black Forest : The Great Bremen Lexicon . 2nd, updated, revised and expanded edition. Edition Temmen, Bremen 2003, ISBN 3-86108-693-X .
- Brochure cemeteries in Bremen: Riensberg . 2nd Edition. Stadtgrün Bremen (Ed.), Bremen 2005.
- Thomas Schaefer: Who is where? Celebrities at Bremen cemeteries . Siepmann und kurz , Bremen 1998, ISBN 3-933410-00-2 .
- Gerda Engelbracht, Andrea Hauser: The Riensberg Cemetery. A guide from AZ . Edition Falkenberg, 2015, ISBN 978-3-95494-079-0 .
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ overall system and crematorium in the monument database of the LfD.
- ^ Monument database of the LfD
- ↑ a b MORGENLAND magazine , issue no. 7, June - November 2006, page 7, article A stroll through the Riensberg cemetery by Ralf Baur in an interview with museum educator Verena Roth
- ^ Horst Kalthoff: The Rutenberg mausoleum in the Riensberg cemetery in Bremen. In: OHLSDORF - magazine for mourning culture No. 105, II / 2009. May 2009, accessed February 11, 2014 .
- ^ A b Information from Umweltbetrieb Bremen, Friedhöfe area
Web links
- Cemetery plan. (PDF; 364 kB) Retrieved March 8, 2011 .
- Environmental Agency Bremen: Riensberg Cemetery. Retrieved March 8, 2011 .
Coordinates: 53 ° 5 ′ 39 ″ N , 8 ° 51 ′ 26 ″ E