The Hoogveenkerkhof in Barger-Compascuum is an official municipal monument. Stichting Behoud Hoogveenkerkhof has submitted an application for this to the municipality of Emmen and it is now due to it. With the designation, the cemetery not only gets extra protection, but also access to more subsidy options.
The foundation is currently running for maintenance and does so with the help of a small group of volunteers. “The six of us are there, every Saturday morning,” says foundation chairman Louis Veldhuis. “We keep it tidy, but the brush cutter is broken, the rake is in need of replacement and the fuel must be paid.”
Fortunately, the foundation recently received a contribution of 1000 euros from the municipality and promised support from the parish board of the Catholic Church: a contribution of 500 euros in the coming years.
This makes the foundation out of the fire for the time being, but according to Veldhuis more has to be done to really be able to safeguard the future. The hope is that the new status will open more financial resources. “For us, maintenance is difficult, especially with dry periods. Subsidies for monument care can make an important difference in this.”
What makes the Hoogveenkerkhof so special is that it is the only well -known place in the Netherlands where people are actually buried in Hoogveen. “Other Veenkerhoven are often excavated,” says Veldhuis. “This is actually the only remaining graveyard that still deserves that name.”
The original cemetery dates from 1876 and once had more than a thousand graves. After the construction of a new cemetery in 1943 it fell into disuse and it was partly excavated. Only sixty graves were retained. It then fell into oblivion, ended up under the management of the Veenpark and was eventually handed over to the village. The cemetery underwent a thorough restoration between 2010 and 2012.
“About fifteen years ago we received a substantial subsidy from the municipality and province,” says Veldhuis. “This allowed us to return the entire cemetery to original state. We were even able to build an exhibition shed.” A permanent exhibition has now been set up in that barn about the history of the cemetery.
Yet the monumental recognition has not been considered for a long time. “We were mainly concerned with recovery. We mainly wanted to give something beautiful back to the village,” he says. “We were about dignity. To give the place where our ancestors lie. Only later did the idea to apply for an official monument status.”
That step eventually came thanks to Fenneke people, the secretary of the foundation. She successfully submitted an application. “We have been participating in the Heritage Day for years,” says people. “While we are not officially a monument at all. I thought that was strange.” She then approached the municipality and then the case was quickly settled. “There is a lot of history here, the ancestors of many villagers are here and of course you want to keep that.” With the support of the municipality, the future is now stronger, according to people.
The municipality believes that the step to the municipal monument fits seamlessly with the heritage policy. “We want to retain heritage, make it visible and keep it experienced for residents and visitors,” said the municipality. “By recognizing it as a monument, we ensure that this place is stored for future generations.”
With a municipal monument status, the cemetery would be the first ‘green monument’ within the municipality of Emmen. At the moment, Emmen has only one other such monument: the Emmerschans, but he has the status of a national monument.