Volkspark Westerhüsen

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Volkspark Westerhüsen, western access from the street Am Wellenberge

The Volkspark Westerhüsen is a public park of the city of Magdeburg in the district of Westerhüsen .

investment

The park has a size of approx. 20 hectares and extends along the wave crests . Inside the park, at the foot of the slope of the wave crests, there is a spring that is not very productive. Since relatively few maintenance interventions took place, the park today has more of the character of a forest.

history

Originally there was a gravel pit from the Westerhüsen glassworks on the site . The city of Magdeburg then acquired 140 acres with the intention of using them as a cemetery . At that time, an expansion of the city to the south, with simultaneous incorporation of the city of Schönebeck , was planned. However, this expansion did not take place, so there was no need for a cemetery of this size. With the incorporation of Diesdorf , the Westfriedhof was created as Magdeburg's new large cemetery. In Westerhüsen only a small area of ​​3.7 hectares was used as the Westerhüsen cemetery . In 1918 the entire area was completely free of trees. Some employees of the glassworks had leased arable land for private use, mainly as potato fields. Ultimately, the city of Magdeburg decided to plant a mixed forest.

The Westerhüser confectionery manufacturer Robert Hohmann, who is also active in local politics, campaigned for the design of the area into a park. Otto Metze , master gardener from Westerhüsen, designed and built the park. He planted native tree species and created seats and paths.

On May 1, 1934, another but probably incorrect statement mentions May 1, 1933, the unneeded area was given to the public as Volkspark Westerhüsen. The park area was surrounded by a 1.80 m high chain link fence. The originally planned construction of an observation tower at the highest point of the site was not implemented. The Volkspark was closed to the public from 1939 to 1945. North of the park was the Diana forced labor camp . The park went wild.

After the end of the Second World War , the National Front called for voluntary work in the park in 1950. The new main path from the cemetery through the Volkspark was created. In addition, the network of paths was expanded and benches were set up or repaired.

After the political turning point in 1989 , a small playground was built in the center of the park . This no longer exists since 2018.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Peter-Ernst Schmidt, The “Field of the United Nations” on the Westerhüser Friedhof , Magdeburg June 2011
  2. ↑ The Westerhüser Friedhöfe in the municipal newspaper Magdeburg-Westerhüsen, 11th year, No. 10, October 1934
  3. ^ Friedrich Großhennig, Ortschronik von Westerhüsen in the Magdeburg-SO district , manuscript in the Magdeburg City Archives, call number 80 / 1035n, page 46
  4. ↑ Hans-Joachim Krenzke, Magdeburg Cemeteries and Burial Places , State Capital Magdeburg 1998, page 131

Coordinates: 52 ° 3 ′ 26.6 "  N , 11 ° 40 ′ 19.6"  E