Cemetery Section For Forced Laborers in Darmstadt

Pictures and text by Mark R. Hatlie

These pictures were taken on 12 February, 2006 in the forest cemetery in Darmstadt. Here is where laborers were buried who died during captivity in the Darmstadt area during the Second World War.

This section of the cemetery is located among graves unrelated to the war. It is behind the main war graves complex.

The sign reads simply, "War graves site".

A small path leads between large, bronze plates in the ground which presumably mark mass graves.

The centerpiece reads, "To the dead of the war, 1939-1945". While this puts the dead in the context of the war, it might imply, to the casual passer-by, that these were soldiers.

The bronze plates list the names of the dead by country. This plate shows dead from Belgium, England, Estonia, and France. Birth and death dates are listed. Note that the Belgians are mostly women, the French are men. The two British men are unidentified airmen.

Romania and Russia

More Russian names followed by those from Switzerland. It is not immediately clear why people from Switzerland would be buried here unless this was used, at least temporarily, for any foreigner who died here.

Holland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Lithuania

Russia - mostly men. They were perhaps POWs.

Poland - here mostly women

This wooden sign to one side bears the date 12 December, 1944 and has five names of apparently various nationalities. It reads only that they "rest here in peace".

Cemetery Section For Forced Laborers in Darmstadt

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	This section of the cemetery is located among graves unrelated to the war. It is behind the main war graves complex.
	The sign reads simply, "War graves site".
	A small path leads between large, bronze plates in the ground which presumably mark mass graves.
	The centerpiece reads, "To the dead of the war, 1939-1945". While this puts the dead in the context of the war, it might imply, to the casual passer-by, that these were soldiers.
	The bronze plates list the names of the dead by country. This plate shows dead from Belgium, England, Estonia, and France. Birth and death dates are listed. Note that the Belgians are mostly women, the French are men. The two British men are unidentified airmen.
	Romania and Russia
	More Russian names followed by those from Switzerland. It is not immediately clear why people from Switzerland would be buried here unless this was used, at least temporarily, for any foreigner who died here.
	Holland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Lithuania
	Russia - mostly men. They were perhaps POWs.
	Poland - here mostly women
	This wooden sign to one side bears the date 12 December, 1944 and has five names of apparently various nationalities. It reads only that they "rest here in peace".