Cemetery
Resting place for strangers:
The refugee cemetery
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Last rest
Among hundreds of graves in this cemetery are some that were almost forgotten in the community. The names engraved in stone are unknown here.
Seit September 1945 kamen täglich tausende Flüchtlinge, Vertriebene und entlassene Kriegsgefangene in Friedland an. Allein bis Ende 1946 wurden weit über eine Million Menschen im Grenzdurchgangslager registriert. Viele waren über Monate oder Jahre unterwegs und hatten mit schweren gesundheitlichen Problemen zu kämpfen. Die oft katastrophalen Umstände ihrer Flucht hinterließen seelische und körperliche Spuren Einige Menschen waren bei der Ankunft so geschwächt, dass auch die medizinische Betreuung im Lager sie nicht retten konnte.Trauerfälle
1945 waren 33 Tote in den Krankenbaracken zu beklagen. Im Jahr darauf verstarben weitere 22 Menschen. Auch in der folgenden Zeit kam es vereinzelt zu Todesfällen, die meist auf Herzschwäche und hohes Alter zurückzuführen waren. Selten sind aber auch tragische Unfälle passiert. Um die Toten angemessen bestatten zu können, wurde direkt neben dem Gemeindefriedhof eine Begräbnisstätte für jene Menschen angelegt, die im Grenzdurchgangslager verstarben. Bis heute sind noch 66 dieser Grabstellen erhalten.Offside
In addition to refugees and prisoners of war who lost their lives in Friedland, a Soviet forced laborer was also buried in the cemetery. He had been deported to the German Reich after the invasion of the Soviet Union by German troops in 1943 and was employed here in Friedland for track construction. During construction work in January 1945, he was hit by a train and fatally injured. The burial took place inconspicuously and without a coffin. His grave is located far away from all others in the municipal cemetery.Commemoration
In order to bring the background of all these graves and deaths back to consciousness, students of the Carl-Friedrich-Gauß School, with the support of the Museum Friedland, created two memorial plaques for the local cemetery. The project was supported by the German War Graves Commission. Since July 2021 and April 2022, the two plaques have been a reminder of the foreign, partly nameless dead buried in Friedland.
Last rest
Among hundreds of graves in this cemetery are some that were almost forgotten in the community. The names engraved in stone are unknown here.
Since September 1945, thousands of refugees, displaced persons and released prisoners of war arrived in Friedland every day. By the end of 1946 alone, well over one million people were registered in the border transit camp. Many had been on the move for months or years and were struggling with serious health problems. The often catastrophic circumstances of their flight had left psychological and physical scars. Some people were so weakened on arrival that even medical care in the camp could not save them.XXX
In 1945, 33 people died in the hospital barracks. In the following year, another 22 people died. In the following period, too, there were isolated deaths, mostly due to heart failure and old age. However, tragic accidents also occurred on rare occasions. In order to be able to bury the dead appropriately, a burial ground was built right next to the municipal cemetery for those people who died in the border crossing camp. To this day, 66 of these gravesites are still preserved.Offside
In addition to refugees and prisoners of war who lost their lives in Friedland, a Soviet forced laborer was also buried in the cemetery. He had been deported to the German Reich after the invasion of the Soviet Union by German troops in 1943 and was employed here in Friedland for track construction. During construction work in January 1945, he was hit by a train and fatally injured. The burial took place inconspicuously and without a coffin. His grave is located far away from all others in the municipal cemetery.
Commemoration
In order to bring the background of all these graves and deaths back to consciousness, students of the Carl-Friedrich-Gauß School, with the support of the Museum Friedland, created two memorial plaques for the local cemetery. The project was supported by the German War Graves Commission. Since July 2021 and April 2022, the two plaques have been a reminder of the foreign, partly nameless dead buried in Friedland.Commemoration
In order to bring the background of all these graves and deaths back to consciousness, students of the Carl-Friedrich-Gauß School, with the support of the Museum Friedland, created two memorial plaques for the local cemetery. The project was supported by the German War Graves Commission. Since July 2021 and April 2022, the two plaques have been a reminder of the foreign, partly nameless dead buried in Friedland.