Considering that you stand before the Nienstedtener Friedhof in Hamburg let me tell you some interesting facts about this place. This cemetery is more than just a burial ground. It is a piece of Hamburg’s history.
The Nienstedtener Friedhof first opened in 1814. No formal dedication marked its opening. In fact, 2014 marked its 200th anniversary. The cemetery covers 10.5 hectares. It holds about 4500 graves. These range from single urn plots to large family plots.
In the early 19th century Nienstedten was a central church area. It included Blankenese and Groß Flottbek. Also Dockenhuden, Klein Flottbek, Osdorf, Sülldorf, Rissen and Schenefeld belonged to it. Most of these villages now belong to Hamburg.
The Nienstedtener Friedhof has expanded 11 times. These expansions occurred between 1836 and 1975. The cemetery has a unique old tree population. Hedges mark the borders. Many old and new rhododendrons grow here.
The Nienstedtener Friedhof features many artistic gravestones. They reflect 19th- and 20th-century funerary art. Larger plots contain sculptures by artists like Vera Mohr-Müller and Arthur Bock.
Some gravestones were restored. They came from expired plots. The cemetery administration created seven museum areas with Hamburg’s monument protection office. The oldest stone dates back to 1772. It likely stood on another cemetery first.
The Nienstedtener Friedhof also contains war memorials. Richard Luksch created a sandstone monument in 1920. It honors World War I fallen soldiers. A smaller memorial honors World War II victims.
Three mausoleums stand on the grounds. Rudolph Freiherr von Schröder’s mausoleum is the largest. Also the large crypt of Caspar Freiherr von Vogth is worth mentioning. The modern crypt of Hans Henny Jahnn is remarkable too. George Heinrich Hesse’s family vault is now covered in ivy.
Many Hamburg personalities are buried here. Reich Chancellor Bernhard von Bülow rests here. Also interred here are the resistance fighter John Karl Friedrich Rittmeister and the politician Paul Nevermann.
Several merchants and industrialists found their final resting place at Nienstedtener Friedhof. Hotelier Daniel Louis Jacob founder of the Hotel Louis C. Jacob rests here. Coffee roaster Johann Joachim Darboven and the the tabacco manufacturer Bernhard Reemtsma are buried here.
The Nienstedtener Friedhof is also home to artists’ graves. The graves of the writer Hans Henny Jahnn and the actress Heidi Kabel are located here.
In 1911 a waiting room was built. It has four columns at the entrance. Small funeral services took place here. This happened when the service was not in the church. The Friedhofskapelle was inaugurated in 1929. Architect Kurt Stoltenberg designed it. It was extensively renovated in 1995.
The Nienstedtener Friedhof remains a place of peace. It is a place of reflection. It connects us to Hamburg’s past.