Imagine standing where echoes of Frankfurt’s past whisper through rustling leaves. This is the Hauptfriedhof, Frankfurt Oder’s largest cemetery. It spans approximately 20 hectares.
Established in 1879, the Hauptfriedhof replaced an older burial ground. That older ground is now Kleistpark. Initially, the cemetery’s boundaries were defined by fieldstone walls. These walls are still visible along the north, west, and east paths. A chapel once stood on Leipziger Straße, but it was demolished in the 1920s to make way for the crematorium.
Expansions occurred in 1904, 1920, and 1930. These additions stretched southeast while preserving the old eastern wall section. This wall now cuts through the cemetery’s center. The Hauptfriedhof’s paths follow a regular geometric pattern. The landscape is varied. Alleys and rows of diverse trees line the paths. Linden, copper beech, Douglas fir, hazel, and chestnut trees thrive here. Maple, robinia, birch, and hornbeam trees also add to the diversity. Solitary trees like red oak, pyramidal oak, copper beech, and hemlock fir stand out. Wells and basins of geometric shapes dot the landscape.
Few old graves remain. Those that do often feature wrought-iron enclosures. They are mainly near the crematorium. A notable grave belongs to the Fürstenberg family, Frankfurt Oder sculptors. It features a beautiful relief from 1926. The grave of Karl Krone, a menagerie owner and founder of the Krone circus dynasty, is also here.
Several war graves and memorials exist on the Hauptfriedhof. The central war grave site holds over 7,600 soldiers and civilian internees from both World Wars. This site became the final destination for homebound transports carrying severely ill prisoners of war. These prisoners were prematurely released from Siberia.
In 1929 and 1930, a new Trauerhalle, a hall for funeral services, with a crematorium was constructed. Josef Gesing, the city’s architect, designed it. The large hall can accommodate up to 250 mourners. The building complex includes the crematorium, a hall for earth burials, and administrative offices. The building is clad in clinker bricks. It features several staggered structures beneath shallow hipped roofs. The main building is a cubic, two-story structure with a basement.
The Trauerhalle and crematorium stand as a testament to Josef Gesing’s quality urban construction in the 1920s. It is a protected monument. It is stylistically interesting because it is committed to both expressionism and New Objectivity. As you leave the Hauptfriedhof, remember its layers of history. Think about those who rest here and the stories they hold.