Cemetery for World War Two Fallen in Karlsruhe

Picture and text by Mark R. Hatlie

These pictures were taken on 25 March, 2006 in the main cemetery in Karlsruhe. There is a large circular pathway around the center of the cemetery and these graves are within the circle on the right, as seen when coming from the entrance.

	The graves are arranged in several rows on both sides of a statue up on a pedestal.
	The text on the front of the pedestal is written very large, but it is so weathered it is very difficult to read.
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	The wording is "Remember with deep respect and loyalty the victims / May holy power and courage for deeds of peace flow from their deaths" ("IN EHRFURCHT UND TREUE GEDENKET DER OPFER IHREM TOD ENSTROME HEILIGE KRAFT UND MUT ZU TATEN DES FRIEDENS").
	On the back of the pedestal, there are smaller letters which read, "For her sons fallen in the World War / the thankful father city" ("Ihren im Weltkrieg gefallenen Soehnen / die dankbare Vaterstadt").
	The rows of graves are on both sides of and behind the statue. They each list name and dates of birth and death. Along the back hedge, there are markers for individuals, probably put up by local families for men who are buried elsewhere.
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	Here are some of the individualizd markers. The graves of fallen from World War Two are visible through the hedge.
	The main field of graves is flanked on both sides by a seperate field of graves, behind a hedgerow. These are from the field on the left (when facing the statue).
	There are also individualized markers along the hedgerows here.
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	The section on the right is almost identical, with a square of large grave markers in the ground and individualized markers along the edges.
	Again, these kinds of markers were probably put up by family for men not buried here, but nearer the front. Many of them have become illegible.
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	Even the large ones in the ground are almost illegible.
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	The graves of fallen from World War Two are again visible through the hedge.