Beneath the somber sky, the Ehemaliges Krematorium stands as a poignant reminder of Hamburg’s past. This Feuerbestattungsanlage or cremation facility is located on the grounds of the Ohlsdorf Cemetery. It replaced the older facility that was outside the cemetery.
Fritz Schumacher designed this building between 1930 and 1932. The Ehemaliges Krematorium sits on the western edge of the cemetery. It is near Fuhlsbüttler Straße and the S-Bahn line from Ohlsdorf to Poppenbüttel.
Originally, a second entrance to the cemetery was planned for this spot. However, a crematorium wasn’t part of the initial cemetery design. So, it was built somewhat on the periphery.
Schumacher first explored crematorium designs in 1899. He aimed to blend the painful purpose with a sense of solemnity. He wanted the ceremonial and technical aspects to merge seamlessly. Outsiders would only perceive the solemn atmosphere.
By the 1920s, the old crematorium was inadequate. Hamburg’s administration began planning a modern facility around 1925. Schumacher’s early designs from 1926 resembled the final structure. The location was a challenge. Schumacher wanted a central site, but residents opposed a crematorium near homes. His attempts to secure locations like Schanzenpark failed. In 1928, the Hamburg Senate chose the then-remote Ohlsdorf Cemetery.
Construction began in mid-1930. It halted due to austerity measures. Work concluded in January 1933. Schumacher gave the building a unique presence within the cemetery. Open arcades and terraces evoke a memorial. Dark clinker bricks and bronze doors reinforce its solemn appearance.
The Ehemaliges Krematorium included two ceremonial halls. It also featured a mortuary, four basement furnaces, and administrative spaces. Schumacher envisioned this as a first phase. He hoped to expand it later.
Seen from the “ceremonial side,” the building appears symmetrical and mainly single-story. The large, sloping ceremonial hall was unprecedented. Its monumental character comes from uniform facade materials and integrated architectural details. The trapezoidal east gable features a clinker relief. It also includes a striking golden phoenix sculpture. Richard Kuöhl created all the architectural embellishments.
The “operational side” faces west. It is dominated by chimney stacks linked into a clock-adorned tower. This side is multi-storied and asymmetrical because not all planned functional spaces were built.
Inside, the Ehemaliges Krematorium is brighter. Parabolic concrete beams divide the space. Light streams through large side windows designed by Ervin Bossányi. Window colors transition from warm tones at the entrance to cooler ones near the gallery for the coffin. Narrow stained-glass windows by Heinrich Jungebloedt depict abstract flames and a tree of life.
The interior is sparsely decorated. Two figures from Karl Opfermann’s workshop are on the east gallery. Outside, two slender bronze figures by Ludwig Kunstmann stand on high pedestals. They flank the staircase.
The Nazi era impacted the building’s use. In the 1930s, the bodies of prominent opponents of fascism were burned here. This often led to confrontations between police and relatives. Many executed in Hamburg were cremated here until 1945. From 1940 to 1942, 1019 bodies from the Neuengamme concentration camp were cremated. A memorial to victims of Nazi persecution stands in line with the Krematorium’s central axis.
In 1952-1953, an additional ceremonial hall was added. It also gained a mortuary and functional spaces. This new hall featured a bright, open design and colored glass windows by Alfred Mahlau.
By the 1960s, damage appeared, especially on the sloping roof and window surfaces. A complete renovation took place by 1967. The terrace was renewed, and the roof was largely covered with copper.
Cremations stopped in 1994. The furnaces no longer met emission standards. Leaks in the roof and acoustic problems in the ceremonial halls persisted. From 2008, plans began for a major redesign. The architectural competition was won by tsj for the expansion. Dohse won for the renovation of the central building. Since 2013, the complex is known as the “Hamburger Bestattungsforum Ohlsdorf.”
The ceremonial side remained largely unchanged. The operational side and interior underwent extensive modifications. The 1950s ceremonial hall was demolished. Two new ceremonial halls, a crypt, and a catering area were built. The renovation restored the original roof and converted a former ceremonial hall into a columbarium.
Since the 2013 revision of Hamburg’s monument protection law, the entire Krematorium complex is protected. As you stand here today, remember the Ehemaliges Krematorium’s layered history.