Lichtenhorst Russian and Polish Cemetery

Lichtenhorst Russian and Polish Cemetery

The cemetery contains 111 graves of Polish and Soviet prisoners of war and forced labourers. 31 of the burials are of Polish individuals and 80 are Soviet individuals. A small group of Russian Prisoners of War from the First World War are also buried here, though only one is recorded by name on and the exact number of other burials is unknown. These men came from the nearby Lichtenmoor Prison Camp. The cemetery originally contained the graves of 5 Polish and 8 Soviet prisoners, but in 1961 the cemetery was designated as a concentration cemetery and an additional 98 individuals were brought here from all over the Hannover district.

The cemetery occupies a square of land on the eastern edge of Lichtenhorst village, reached by a path 80 meters from Roderwalder Straße. A cross of remembrance made of black granite with an inscription in Russian stands on the far north side of the square. The burials are marked by 7 red sandstone stelae. The Polish burials are recorded on 3 stelae on the right (east) side, the Russian are recorded on 5 stelae on the left (west) side, 2 of which contain names and 3 of which are decorated with a large Russian Cross. In addition to the name of the deceased, dates of birth and dates of death are given when known. However, only a small number of burials (mostly Polish), have all this information. 48 Soviet prisoners are listed as unknown. Of the known individuals the youngest was 13 and the eldest 45 years old.

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Source

• Text: Andrew William Pegler
• Photos: Andrew William Pegler