A large rubble container stands at the St. Johannis und Heiland cemetery. Inside are tombstones, some broken.
Evidence of Berlin history weighing tons. A graveyard is dying here. What seems irreverent at first glance is completely normal. The last burial in the approximately 100,000 square meter cemetery north-west of the Plötzensee took place in 2002. At that time it was decided that there should be no further burials.
“The Berliners voted with their feet at the time and no longer used the cemetery in such a way that it could be operated economically,” says Oberkonsistorialrat Dr. Arne Ziekow (54) from the Evangelical Church.
“Its drawback is the very remote location with hardly any public transport.”
Back then, there were fewer and fewer burials. Since there are three other large cemeteries in the immediate vicinity, it was decided not to continue operating the St. Johannis und Heiland cemetery.
Now – 20 years later – the rest period ends. The beneficiaries of the graves have been informed several times that the closure has been decided and the evacuation is beginning.
Ziekow: “If, for example, you had a family grave that was not fully utilized, you have the right to have the grave buried.”
The affected families would have chosen new graves in other cemeteries.
Many of the grave sites had long been abandoned and were not cleared. It is unclear exactly when the cemetery opened. The cemetery books only begin in 1892.
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A ten-year period of piety begins at the end of February. When that expires in 2032, the cemetery will be deconsecrated and can be used for other purposes. It is not yet clear whether a green space will be created on the site or, for example, if it will be built.
There are 224 cemeteries in the capital
Even when their lives are over, the Berliners take up a lot of space. Not only in the hearts of their friends and loved ones, but also in the urban area.
1089 hectares of city area are dedicated cemeteries. Burials are still being carried out in 186 of the 224 Berlin cemeteries. The rest are still dedicated and accessible as a cemetery. Four of Berlin’s cemeteries are in the surrounding area.
The largest provider with 119 cemeteries on 411 hectares is the Evangelical Church, followed by the State of Berlin (86) and the Catholic Church with nine cemeteries on 47 hectares. There are also ten cemeteries owned by other providers (British, Jewish, Muslim, Russian-Orthodox, others).