Lost in thought, imagine what stories these stones could tell at Alter Friedhof. This is no ordinary city park. It is the Alter Garnisonfriedhof. It is one of Berlin’s oldest cemeteries.
Established in the early 1700s, Alter Garnisonfriedhof became the final resting place for members of Berlin’s Garrison Church. The church is now gone. Only the name Garnisonkirchplatz remains. The Alter Garnisonfriedhof was originally divided in two. The Gormannstraße separated the two parts. Military personnel were typically buried here.
Today, only the western part remains. Traditionally, officers were buried here. You might recognize names like Holtzendorff, Knesebeck, Stülpnagel, Lützow and Wildenbruch. These names are also on Berlin’s street signs.
Most graves date to the 19th and early 20th centuries. Karl Friedrich Schinkel helped design some of the graves. The many cast-iron crosses are striking. They show Berlin’s iron casting heyday. Burials continued until 1945. The cemetery officially closed in 1951. Now, it is a protected park.
The Förderverein takes care of the Alter Garnisonfriedhof. They have set up an exhibition in the old administration building. It is usually open on weekends. You can visit from 12 to 4 pm. Admission is free. The exhibition offers insightful explanations.
Berlin is full of hidden gems. The Alter Garnisonfriedhof is one of them. The long wall on Rosenthaler Straße hides it. Cemeteries hold a special energy. Here, old gravestones and tall trees create a magical silence. The Alter Garnisonfriedhof is the oldest military cemetery in Berlin. It dates back to Prussia’s founding. It stopped being used for burials in 1947.
The administration building dates from the mid-19th century. Famous people found their final resting place here. Berlin sculptors created remarkable memorials. Schinkel, Gilly, and Tieck designed grave monuments. They were made in Berlin’s Royal Iron Foundry workshops.
After 1815, leading officers around Adolph von Lützow were buried here. You can still find names like von Lützow, Knesebeck, von Holtzendorff, and F. de la Motte Fouqué on the stones. Their descendants resisted National Socialism. They are also remembered here.
Whether you love history or seek a unique atmosphere, visit the Alter Garnisonfriedhof. Early mornings or evenings offer the best light. The sun creates a beautiful glow here.
King Friedrich I gave the land to Berlin’s Garrison. It was for their dead. This happened between 1702 and 1706. The area was between Rosenthaler and Schönhauser Tor. The larger eastern part was for soldiers. The western part was mainly for officers.
Initially, only regiments stationed in the city were buried here. From 1804, all Berlin regiments used it. The cemetery closed on June 6, 1867. It then became a park. In 1945, about 350 war victims were buried here. The district decided to close it in 1950. In the 1970s, it was redesigned as a park. 309 of 489 monuments were removed.
Few graves of famous people remain. Today, the Alter Garnisonfriedhof is protected. It has some artistic grave monuments. Schinkel’s red granite stele honors Carl Friedrich von Holtzendorff. It is a major monument. The grave of Friedrich Freiherr de la Motte Fouqué is here. It has a marble stele topped with an iron cross. There are also notable iron monuments. Schinkel designed the iron art casting grave for the Teichert family in 1853.
Since 1993, the Förderverein has run an exhibition in the former administration building. It covers the cemetery, grave art, officer biographies, and Berlin’s Garrison Church.
Take a moment to appreciate the peace. Remember those who rest here at Alter Garnisonfriedhof. Their stories echo through time.