German War Graves Lutherstadt Eisleben

The Alter Friedhof contains a military plot with German war graves of the Second World War.

The old cemetery was built in 1533 on the northern edge of the city outside the city limits. Since the cemetery was similar to cemeteries in Italy, it was named "Campo Santo" or Sacred Field.

The cemetery is closed off from the city by a two-sided burial chapel.
A memorial to the victims of both world wars adorns this old cemetery, which is in a desolate condition.

11 German and 5 Russian casualties from the First World War are commemorated.

The German graves are just visible in this overgrown cemetery.

The Russians lie in a common grave under a memorial that was erected during the SBZ (Soviet Occupation Zone) period.

There is an Honorary Grave for 3 victims of the "Eislebener Blutsonntag", on February 12, 1933, 600 SA and SS members led by Ludolf von Alvensleben attacked a youth initiation organized by the German Communist Party. Pistols and field spades were used, and 3 people were killed on the Communist side, 25 seriously injured, and one SS man was killed. After the war, 30 of the participating SA and SS members in the GDR were sentenced, one to life in prison and the others received prison sentences of between one and twelve years.

The 3 dead members of the KPD (Communist Party of Germany) were Walter Schneider, Hans Seidel and Otto Helm.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Francky De Rous