Alter Berliner Garnisonfriedhof, the listed Old Garrison Cemetery on the Kleine Rosenthaler Strasse at the corner of Linienstrasse is one of the oldest burial grounds in Berlin, founded around 1706, although I think the oldest graves still here date from the early 19th century.
Wilhelm Alfred von Buddenbrock (1796-1863) and his wife Julie (1796-1872)
The name is a variant of Buddenbrook, a common North German name used by Thomas Mann.
Initially it was only used for the burial of sodiers from regiments actually quartered in the city, but from 1804 burials were allowed for all regiments stationed in Berlin. The cemetery was much larger, and was in two distinct parts, the larger for men and this remaining smaller part for officers.
While most of Berlin’s cemeteries were relocated to the suburbs, this continued in use with burials up to the end of the Second World War. As well as for officers, war victims were also buried in it, including some in mass graves. The cemetery was finally closed for burials in 1951, though some later burials took place in family graves. At the insistence of the Institute for Preservation of Monuments and the Cultural League of the GDR the cemetery became a public park and many of the existing 489 graves were levelled, leaving only around 180 standing.
Most of the 180 which remain date from the first half on the 19th century, and are of historic interest with some fine iron castings with clear details and lettering. There are also some fine examples of later romantic, neo-gothic and art nouveau work and some which are just plain curious.
Gustav Adolf Zeigler (1808=82)
Leutnant Curt Kruge (1889-1914)
One of several mass graves with a long list of names ending with 195 Unknown, all killed in 1945
Monument to the victims of Berlin street fights in spring 1945
An unusual cast zinc monument for Ernst Ludwig von Tippelskirch (1774-1840)
It was time for lunch and I made my way back to our flat in Rosa Luxemburg Strasse.
More from my walk around Berlin to follow shortly.
Previous Berlin post
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