Whispers from the past echo here at Friedhof Hochmutting. This peaceful cemetery in Oberschleissheim holds centuries of stories. It wasn’t always a place of quiet reflection. The land surrounding Friedhof Hochmutting has seen much change. For over a thousand years Hochmutting changed hands many times. In the late 16th century the Bavarian Duke Wilhelm V acquired the area. Oberhochmutting where Friedhof Hochmutting now stands belonged to Bernried Monastery. Unterhochmutting the estate belonged to Indersdorf Monastery. Two hermitages stood there too the Nikolaus and Jakob hermitages. They are the predecessors of the small church at Friedhof Hochmutting today.
Friedhof Hochmutting itself has a more recent history. It opened on May 12 1805. This was after the expulsion of the Franciscans from Schleissheim. Burials were no longer possible at the Mittenheimer Gottesacker. So the new cemetery became vital for the community.
The estate of Hochmutting once belonged to the local state estate. It tells of the area’s agricultural past. The cemetery isn’t just a resting place. It also contains a Commonwealth War Graves section. This dates back to World War II. It serves as a poignant reminder of global conflict.
The little church St Jakobus at Friedhof Hochmutting has its own fascinating history. Legend says it was built around the time of the Battle of Lechfeld in 955. Its Romanesque style shows how old it really is. Duke Wilhelm V’s acquisition of St Jakobus in 1597 added a bell tower and a steeper roof. In 1812 the growing population of Oberschleissheim needed a larger burial ground. So they used the church as a chapel and built a cemetery around it.
The cemetery also holds evidence of the Nazi era. Part of the Hochmutting estate was an annex of the Dachau concentration camp. Eleven prisoners were housed there as part of a bomb disposal unit. Plans to move Friedhof Hochmutting closer to the town center were abandoned because of the war and postwar financial difficulties. Even today a memorial marks the spot where two Soviet victims of the war were buried. They lie outside the cemetery.
Friedhof Hochmutting isn’t just stones and names. It’s a living testament to the layers of history in Hochmutting and Oberschleissheim. It’s a reminder that even in quiet places like this stories of war peace and faith are intertwined. Come let us walk and remember together.