Overgrown with ivy and lichens, the Gedenkstein evangelischer Friedhof Stone stands silently. It marks a place of rest and remembrance. Let’s delve into the story of this sacred ground.
The Gedenkstein evangelischer Friedhof Stone is part of the Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Dortmund-Brackel. The cemetery arose because of great danger from the spread of disease. Originally, community members found their final resting place at the old cemetery near the church. Some wealthy deceased were even buried inside the church. One example is Arent Rupe, a reformer from Brackel. The burial ground in front of the church was called Kirchhof.
In the 18th century, the risk of epidemics grew. The government asked communities to set up cemeteries outside the village centers. Burials inside churches were banned beginning in 1778. The Presbytery in Brackel argued that they had not performed burials in the church since 1770. They claimed that church lands lay in the swampy north of the community. No land was available for purchase in the dry south.
After a long search, the community bought land between Oberdorfstraße and Hörder Straße in 1861. The land measured 7000 square meters. Costs of 2000 Thalers were covered by selling hereditary burial plots. A loan from the Provinzial Hülfskasse with a 15-year term also helped.
The cemetery was dedicated on October 5, 1862 by Pastor Gottfried Cremer. He served as pastor in Brackel from 1839 to 1888. The first burial took place on October 20, 1862. The oldest preserved grave slab belongs to Friedrich Jungfernplässler. He lived from May 3, 1797 to July 1, 1869. His grave is next to the memorials for Pastors Cremer and Bräcker.
After the cemetery opened, many Brackel farmers bought hereditary burial sites. They adorned them with elaborate monuments. Some of these still exist. One example is the Westermann family tomb. Their farm once stood where the City Center is today.
Pastor Cremer foresaw Brackel’s population growth due to industrialization. So, the community expanded the cemetery in 1891. The district government required the old Kirchhof near the church to be removed. The Presbytery hesitated to dissolve the old resting place. Finally, they leveled the old cemetery in 1892/93.
Pastor Theodor Bräcker reported interesting finds in his chronicle. Workers found old coins, some from Cologne and a pfennig from Hamm. Many graves contained corked bottles with liquid. This showed a strange superstition. Secretions from the sick were placed in coffins. It was believed that the disease would be buried with the dead.
In 1899, the Presbytery decided to build a first funeral hall. A property was purchased on Hörder Straße. It would be a hall with a dignified room for speeches and bad weather. The hall opened in October 1902. Its structure was soon in poor condition and had to be abandoned. Today, the house is a residence on Hörder Straße.
On August 23, 1953, the foundation stone was laid for today’s cemetery chapel. It was put into service on July 25, 1954. Young men from the community youth helped with the earthworks.
In the 1960s, the Presbytery took over the wooden framework from the closed Kino Linnenbrink. They had it installed in the cemetery chapel. This act of sustainability was unique in Westphalia.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, funeral processions often used a glass hearse pulled by a horse. The route led to the cemetery. Farmer Ziegenfeuter was the coachman. The body was collected from the deceased’s home. The mourners accompanied the hearse along Hellweg to the cemetery. The main entrance was on Oberdorfstraße.
In earlier times, many professional groups had brass bands. They often accompanied members to their final resting place. They played the song Ich hatt’ einen Kameraden.
The Gedenkstein evangelischer Friedhof Stone serves as a silent witness to the passage of time. It reflects changing customs. It is a place of reflection in our modern world.