Since September 2023, this burial site has been a
UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
With 24,917 fallen soldiers, the common grave in Langemark is the largest in a
german military cemetery. The site in Flanders was established in 1915.
Cemetery description
The Langemark war cemetery is located in the Belgian province of West Flanders
West Flanders. The site was completely renovated in 2015. In addition to the
Restoration of an inner courtyard in the entrance area and the renovation of the
Entrance building, the gravestones were relocated and the pathways were renovated and
of the pathways and the restoration of green areas. At the central
A small square was created at the central communal grave. The group of figures "Mourning
Soldiers" by the Munich sculptor Emil Krieger has since been returned to its original
original location, the communal grave. Similar motifs by other artists
can be found at German military cemeteries in Quero, Pordoi and Lommel.
Occupancy
There are 44,304 German soldiers buried in Langemark who died in the First World War
during the Battle of Flanders in 1914. The fallen whose personal details were
Known at the time of reburial were buried in individual graves,
while all those unknown were placed in the large communal grave. With
24.917 fallen, it is the largest in a German military cemetery.
History
From October to November 1914, the First World War raged during the so-called First
Battle of Flanders. A particularly costly German attack took place on
10. November near the former village of Langemark. The regiments involved were
were largely made up of young war volunteers. The Supreme
Army Command (OHL) propagandistically glorified the mass death of the soldiers as the
transfigured into the "myth of Langemark". At the end of the First World War, there were
German military cemeteries in 678 municipalities and districts in Belgium, 15 larger
Were located in the Langemark area. The cemetery was established in 1915
from a small group of graves. The number of German cemeteries was significantly
significantly reduced at the request of the Belgian government. in 1919/20, the Belgian
Cemetery service buried German casualties in Langemark and dissolved existing
Facilities. The Langemark German military cemetery was officially opened on July 10, 1932
officially inaugurated. Between 1956 and 1958, the German fallen soldiers were
from the 128 existing cemeteries to the three German military cemeteries in Langemark
Langemark, Menen and Vladslo military cemeteries in Flanders.
Since 1990, the Langemark cemetery has been a care cemetery for the
North Rhine-Westphalia in the Volksbund.
Special feature
On October 12, 2019, the ceremonial burial of the remains of 84
german soldiers of the First World War took place in Langemark. The dead were
found during archaeological work at the former "Hill 80" position near Wijtschate
(Heuvelland). People from all over Europe took part in the
People from all over Europe. In a transnational crowdfunding project, volunteers recovered
volunteers with scientific support salvaged the body
german, British, French and South African bodies and documented their finds
their finds. The Volksbund supported the project with 25,000 euros.
In September 2023, UNESCO designated 139 cemeteries from the First World War as
Declared World Heritage Sites. 24 German graves are in the care of the
Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. - Langemark is one of them.
