A bomb crater a scar on the earth. This is the Friedhof des Stephansstiftes in Hanover. It’s a small cemetery. It’s only about 0 307 hectares. But it holds a significant piece of Hanover’s history.
The Friedhof des Stephansstiftes was created in 1880. It serves primarily the members of the Stephansstift congregation. The Stephansstift itself is an Evangelical Lutheran foundation. It was established in the mid-19th century. It focuses on social community and professional challenges of the local community. The cemetery was initially built for members of this congregation. The existing cemeteries were full.
The Friedhof des Stephansstiftes is laid out with geometric plots. There’s a central main path. While originally for the congregation’s members. It soon accepted burials from others. The cemetery suffered greatly during World War II. A bomb created a twelve-meter-wide crater. Incredibly. ten incendiary bombs fell around the Stephansstift church. They didn’t even break the windows.
After the war the cemetery was extensively renovated. A memorial was erected. It honors the victims and missing persons of the Nazi era. In 2011 the Stephansstift merged with other local Evangelical institutions. They became the Dachstiftung Diakonie. The Dachstiftung now manages and maintains the Friedhof des Stephansstiftes.
The cemetery has several notable graves and memorials. A memorial exists for the fallen and missing of the Stephansstift. It was built after 1945. There are the graves of Deacon Heinrich Georg Friedrich Kuck and his wife. Kuck trained at the Stephansstift. He worked in Döhren. He went missing in Stalingrad around 1943. His grave is here with that of his son Hero Kuck a textile merchant. Anna von Borries is also buried here. She provided the funds for the Annastift.
The Friedhof des Stephansstiftes is a peaceful place. It’s in the eastern part of Hanover-Kleefeld. The main entrance is on the west side. The memorial is centrally located. The Nackenberger Cemetery is its western neighbor. To the east lies the Annateich and the Hermann-Löns-Park. Even the Hanover Zoo is nearby.
The Friedhof des Stephansstiftes is easily accessible by public transport. The Blumhardtstraße bus stop is close. The Nackenberg and Annastift stops are also nearby. There is public parking on the west and north sides.
The Friedhof des Stephansstiftes offers a glimpse into Hanover’s past. It’s a quiet testament to its history. It’s a place where stories of faith resilience and loss are etched in stone. It’s a place of remembrance. It’s the Friedhof des Stephansstiftes.