Deeply intertwined with Bremerhaven’s origins lies Friedhof Lehe I. Did you know that this cemetery was established in 1827 the very year Bremerhaven was founded?
Friedhof Lehe I holds stories of Lehe and Bremerhaven. It is a place where time stands still. It is a place where the past whispers through old tombstones. Until 1870 people from Bremerhaven were buried here. The adjacent Friedhof Lehe II followed in 1850 and Friedhof Lehe III in 1878. These cemeteries show the growing population. Friedhof Lehe I and II are nestled between Stresemannstrasse and the railway line. Over the years buildings have grown close to them.
Here at Friedhof Lehe I, you find impressive graves. There are three large vaults. You will also see special burial sites of important people. Wilhelm Gerber’s grave looks like a defensive tower. Melchior Schwoon the entrepreneur rests here. Also Georg Wilhelm Claussen found his final resting place here.
Melchior Schwoon’s story is quite interesting. He was born in 1809. Schwoon founded a shipping and commission business in Lehe. He helped start the Geestemünder Bank. He also built a water tower with a water pipe to Bremerhaven. Schwoon is buried in a large family vault at Friedhof Lehe I.
Another notable figure buried here is Georg Wilhelm Claussen. He was born in Bremerhaven in 1845. Claussen was a shipbuilder. He transformed Tecklenborg-Werft into a modern shipbuilding company. Claussen’s large grave is decorated with a white Jesus figure.
Friedrich Timmermann also has ties to Lehe. He was a local politician and farmer. Timmermann helped expand Speckenbütteler Park. Lehe honored him with honorary citizenship.
Today Friedhof Lehe I only allows burials with special permission. It is a place of remembrance. The old gravestones at Friedhof Lehe I whisper forgotten stories. They remind us of the people who shaped Bremerhaven. As you wander through Friedhof Lehe I you connect with the past. You appreciate the lives and legacies of those who came before. Take a moment to reflect on the lives lived. Remember the contributions made by those resting here.