Question: What whispers linger among the gravestones of Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof II? This is a place of rest and a testament to Berlin’s vibrant past. The Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof II lies west of where the Berlin Wall once stood. It separates the districts of Wedding and Mitte. This three-hectare cemetery is also known as the “Cemetery of Circus Directors.”
Dorotheenstädtische Gemeinde bought the land in 1842. The first burial took place in 1843. A gravedigger’s house was built in 1844. The oldest tombstone still standing dates back to 1858. War and its aftermath left their mark. Since 1982 simple honorary graves along the main avenue remember victims of war. The destroyed chapel was replaced in 1950/51 by a temporary church.
Among those interred here are circus directors Paul Busch, Ernst Jacob Renz and Albert Schumann. Ernst Jacob Renz was from a family of performers. He trained as a rope dancer and equestrian. He became a key figure in European circus. His circus featured horses, artistry, pantomime and clowning. Albert Schumann also came from circus riding. He took over Renz’s circus building.
Paul Busch was initially a farmer then a trainer. He erected his first circus building in Altona. Later he built one in Berlin. His family mausoleum shows the grand burial culture of Berlin during the Kaiser era. The author Anne Hahn notes the circus directors competed in life. Perhaps they wished to continue this in death.
The Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof II is also the final resting place of architect Julius Raschdorff. He designed the Berlin Cathedral. Wander among old trees. Discover columns reliefs and angel figures. The Hertzog family mausoleum rises above other graves.
In 1961 the Berlin Wall cut off the congregation from its cemetery. Kreuzberg congregations then managed it. The Dorotheenstädtische Church was badly damaged in the war. The DDR demolished its ruins in 1965. The current chapel was initially a temporary church. It was designed by Otto Bartning. It later became the cemetery chapel.
Today the Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof II offers tranquility. It adds a worldly touch to the working-class Wedding district. The cemetery entrance is on Liesenstrasse 9. Here you will find a display case showing the locations of honorary graves. Another entrance on Grenzstrasse leads to the chapel. Take a moment to reflect on the lives commemorated here. Remember those who shaped Berlin’s cultural landscape.