Why is this cemetery so pretty? This is the Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof. It was created in 1856. This became a favourite final resting place for Berlin’s 19th-century bourgeoisie. The Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof brims with opulent gravestones and memorials.
The Protestant parish of St Matthew established it. This was in the southern Tiergarten area of Schöneberg. By the late 19th century the area was full of eminent officials and scientists. It became known as the Privy Councilor’s Quarters. The parish acquired land for their cemetery in 1854. It was first used on March 25 1856. Soon even non-parishioners were attracted. The cemetery had to be extended by 1883. In 1877 the interment fee for non-parishioners increased. This was to raise its value. By 1890 only parishioners could use the cemetery. This was due to impending saturation. A new cemetery was created near the city for non-parishioners.
Many celebrities found their final resting place here at the Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof. The Brothers Grimm are buried here. Rudolf Virchow rests here too. There is also a memorial tombstone for Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg. He was a conspirator in the July 1944 assassination plot against Hitler.
In 1909 a concrete funeral chapel replaced a small wooden chapel. The artistic designs reflect the works of architects sculptors and artisans. They were from the Prussian Empire. During 1938–1939 the northern section was demolished. This covered one-third of the area. The German Reichstag planned to expand Berlin. This was under Albert Speer’s project. The rest was to be done away with by 1941. But the government’s investment in World War II led to a loss of attention to the plan.
Many graves were destroyed as Berlin was ravaged by the Allies. The surrounding area is known as Red Island. It is located between three rail lines. It served as a hotspot for anti-Nazi resistance. In 2001 the parish was dissolved. The Evangelische Zwölf-Apostel-Kirchengemeinde took over the cemetery. The City of Berlin has declared about 60 graves as heritage sites.
The Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof is home to a cute cafe. It is harboured in a former toilet building. It is named Finovo. The name is supposed to be an exotic contraction. It means fine and nuovo. That means ending and new.
A monumental stone gate leads into the Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof. It has a cross split in the center. Two urns stand to each side. In German a cemetery is either Friedhof or Kirchhof. Friedhof means yard of peace. Kirchhof means churchyard. The Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof is more than 150 years old. It is not the oldest in the city. But it is among the most attractive and important.
The community of St Matthew was primarily made up of the bourgeoisie. Some were rather powerful. Therefore the Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof was well taken care of from the beginning. In 1938 it came under threat from Albert Speer’s plan for the city. This foresaw the destruction of the northern end. It was to make way for the great north-south axis of the new capital. The war thankfully made his plans come to naught.
The Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof has remained a point of bourgeois continuity. This is between the Berlin of the 19th and 20th centuries. The mausoleums give you an idea of this opulence. A walk through this place of peace is a special trip. It introduces us to a certain spirit that is difficult to find elsewhere. The Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof is a green and artistic space. Its slopes are smooth and cardiovascularly beneficial. It is a tranquil and welcoming place. It is literally an affectionate and comforting embrace.