Daleiden

The Volksbund began building this cemetery in 1954 and when it was inaugurated in 1959, it was the largest military cemetery in Germany at the time. The cemetery is laid out as a circular burial ground and is located on the highest point of the site. The memorial, which can be seen from afar, was erected here in the form of an open columned hall. In the middle of the memorial is a Pieta created by Del Antonio Kunsmann from Wittlich in the Eifel region. The artist depicts the mourning and suffering of mothers for their fallen sons using the example of the Mother of God holding her dead son in her arms. Until they were reburied in Daleiden, the fallen were buried in 72 smaller graves in the surrounding area. The rows of graves are arranged in the natural slope of the hillside in the course of the elevation layers, accessed by walkways and access paths to the individual graves, which are marked with a name stone. A retaining wall with rampart closes off the burial area to the outside. Stations of the Cross lead to the cemetery grounds. photographs: Fritz Braun