Südfriedhof (Cologne)

Südfriedhof is the German name for the South Cemetery in Cologne, Germany. With an area of over 61 hectares, it is the largest cemetery in Cologne.[1]

Südfriedhof Cemetery, Cologne
Cologne Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery within Südfriedhof

It contains 2596 Commonwealth war graves from prisoners of war mainly from the First World War.[2] There are also over 1900 Italian prisoners of war buried here.

More dramatically, but less acknowledged, the cemetery contains the remains of around 40,000 civilian victims of the bombing of Cologne.[3]

History

Conceived in 1899 and opened in 1901 the cemetery was laid out as a parkland, and was heavily planted to enhance its woodland ambience, to a design by the landscape architect Adolf Kowallek. Kowallek died the year after the cemetery opened and is buried near its entrance.

The cemetery has been extended several times, notably in 1915 to accommodate dead prisoners of war, plus later extension in the 1930s and lastly in 1963.

Notable Burials
  • Karl Berbuer composer
  • Dominik Bohm architect
  • Otto Bongartz architect
  • Werner Koj author
  • Peter Muller boxer
  • Adolf Nocker architect
  • Max Scheler philosopher
  • Wolfgang Wollner sculptor

References
  1. Günter Leitner: Friedhöfe in Köln – Mitten im Leben. Köln 2003
  2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/34600/COLOGNE%20SOUTHERN%20CEMETERY
  3. https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/15287/S%FCdfriedhof-K%F6ln-German-War-Graves.htm


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