German Sites in Flanders Fields

German sites in Flanders Fields

In the Ypres Salient, we only have one German Cemetery today. Five others though are within half an hour drive from Ypres. Through this link, you can find a good overview of the location of the German sites near Ypres. This document is still work in progress.

Deutscher Soldaten (Studenten) Friedhof 1914 – 1918 Langemark Also known as Langemarck-Nord or Friedhof Nr. 123.

The cemetery is particularly poignant because of its strength and simplicity. Today it is the final resting place of over 44,000 Germans. The so called student cemetery was one of the 17 German Cemeteries on in the Langemark community when the Great War ended. This one was started on the site of a British cemetery which was begun in October 1914 during the First Battle of Ypres. During this famous action, some 3,000 German student volunteers were killed in nearby Bikschote, hence the cemeteries name. On 22 April, the German pioneers released some 58 tons of gas from the north east side of the cemetery, marking the start of the Second Battle of Ypres. The Germans expanded the cemetery and occupied the grounds till August 1917. During this time, the block houses were build. These originally used to be located in the local area and were most likely after the war moved to the cemetery itself. In April 1918, the Germans finally retook the area once more.

At the entrance there is a heavy building reminding one of a bunker. It was erected in red Weser/Vesder sandstone and was meant to make the transition from everyday life to the cemetery itself and in that way create some distance. On the oak panels of the "room of honour" to the right, are inscribed the known names of 6,313 soldiers killed in battle who were buried in the original (lower part of the) cemetery. Pollard willows grow on street side (as a guard of honour) and the right part of the former poppy field is surrounded by a wide ditch symbolising the flooding of the Yser front. The cemetery was expanded several times over the last century.

Because there was no more place left was in the cemetery, all the non-identified exhumed soldiers were buried in a "kameradengraf" (comrade grave) during the period of 1956- 1958. Almost 25,000 remains were buried here with more being added every few years. Around the mass grave, there are blocks with 68 bronze panels bearing the names of 17,342 non- identified soldiers who, based on archive research done, were almost certainly buried in this mass grave.

The group of statues are by Professor Krieger from Munich. In 2015, they got their original position between the mass grave and the entrance building back. The statues are very plain. The intention of the total image was to evoke reflection.

On the higher part of the cemetery, there are three restored German concrete shelters, partly above- ground, with the entrances directed towards the German line (north). To emphasise this defence line (Hindenburg line Langemark-Geluveld) even more, the bunkers were linked to large blocks bearing the names of the army divisions and student organisations which had helped to lay out the original cemetery in the 1930s. In 1940, Hitler paid a visit to the cemetery as part of his propaganda machine.

After the war, more than 700 German cemeteries were scattered across Belgium. The maintenance fell to the German Ministry of Internal Affairs (Zentral Nachtweiseamt für Kriegerverluste und Kriegergräber). Later, in 1925, the “Amtlicher Deutsche Gräberdienst in Belgien” took over and limited the number of cemeteries to 184. After the Second World War, Belgian Red Cross took over with some help from “Onze Graven”. In 1952, the responsibility shifted to the 'Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. It was decided, together with the local authorities, to concentrate the burials at five communal and four large cemeteries. to Vladslo, Hooglede, Menen and Langemark. Close by, the German cemeteries at Wervique-Sud & Bousbecque serve as a final resting place for many German casualties.

The new reception site next to the cemetery (2006) shows the lives of the soldiers during the first months of war, the population on the move, the terror of the first gas attacks in April 1915 and how this cemetery was started and how it evolved. The German Cemetery receives over a thousand visitors a day on an annual average and is one of the most visited sites in the whole area.

Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Menen 1914-1918 Also known as Menenwald

Location The cemetery is located between the communities of Menen & Wevelgem on the Groenestraat / Kruisstraat. In the main reception building, the register can be consulted. The soldiers are buried underneath granite grave markers with sometimes up to 20 names per marker. The small crosses which are dotted around the cemetery are made out of igneous rock. The dark colour, as well as the oak and chestnut trees darken the cemetery. The setting and architecture give the cemetery a typical Germanic atmosphere and invite to visitor to reflect. The octagonal memorial chapel in the centre of the cemetery dominates the site. The interior of the chapel consist of a large vaulted room with gold painted neo-byzantine and romantic biblical symbols. Outside the chapel, eight markers commemorate 53 missing soldiers believed to be buried here. The cemetery was designed by Robert Tischler.

History Menen was occupied for most of the war (October ’14 – October ’18) and served as a garrison town with many hospitals (Feldlazarett). In 1917, the first burials were made at the then 'Ehrenfriedhof Meenen Wald n° 62'. At that time, there was a forest (wald) nearby. By the end of the war, the cemetery was the final resting place for over 6.400 soldiers.

The number of burials at Menenwald grew considerably in 1955 to 48.049 German Soldiers (and not 47.864 as is written at the entrance gate). On like at many other cemeteries, there are few unknown soldiers buried here. The bodies were moved from 53 different cemeteries. Sadly, quite a number of errors were made with the identification during transport. The cemetery is divided into 15 plots. The original burials can be found in plots A to M, the burials from the municipal cemetery of Menin can be found in plot H. The headstones were renewed in 1991.

Under Progress…

German War Cemetery - Hooglede Address: Beverenstraat 78, Hooglede

Hooglede German Military Cemetery is located some six kilometres from the town of Roeselare. It is the smallest of the four German 'concentration' cemeteries and contains about 8,200 burials. The cemetery was first created in 1917. The 'Ehrenhall' (Hall of Honour) was later built with stones from the German pavilion at the 1928 World Exhibition in Paris. On fine days, the panorama of the surrounding countryside is impressive. For more information, please click here.

German War Cemetery - Vladslo Address: Houtlandstraat Diksmuide

The cemetery was started during the first days of the Battle of the IJzer. After the war, more graves were brought in from other neighbouring burial sites. Now it contains over 25 000 graves. Among them is Peter Kollwitz, the 18 year old son of famous artist Käthe Kollwitz. At the back of the Vladslo- Praetbos cemetery, the “The Mourning Parents” form silent witnesses. She created it out of sorrow and love for her 18 years old son Peter who was killed in the area. In the run-up to the centenary, this site will be connected to the forest where numerous German war relics remain. For more information, please click here.

German War Memorial in Comines Communal Cemetery - Wervicq-Sud The German cemetery is the final resting place of 2498 German and 8 Austrian-Hungarian soldiers. Thirty-six of them remain unidentified. There are also a number of Jewish burials at this site. For more information, please click here.

German Communal Cemetery – Bousebeque Address: Rue de Linselle – D 64 (France)

There are 2.330 German soldiers commemorated here. There are also 27 French, 1 Belgian and 6 British burials at the nearby communal Cemetery. For more information, please click here.