Easy hikes and walks around Stahnsdorf

Especially beautiful in winter

Heinrich Rudolf Zille (1858-1929) was a German graphic artist, painter, and photographer. In his art, Zille (known as "Pinselheinrich") favored themes from Berlin's popular life, which he portrayed with both local patriotism and social criticism. In February 1929, Zille suffered his first stroke and a second in May. In the following years, the artist became increasingly withdrawn. Zille died on the morning of August 9, 1929. He was given an honorary grave by the city of Berlin in the Südwestkirchhof (Southwest Cemetery) in Stahnsdorf. The relief on Zille's gravestone (1929) is by August Kraus, with whom Zille was a friend. Source: https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Zille

Heinrich Rudolf Zille (1858-1929) was a German graphic artist, painter, and photographer. In his art, Zille (known as "Pinselheinrich") favored themes from Berlin's popular life, which he portrayed with both local patriotism and social criticism. In February 1929, Zille suffered his first stroke and a second in May. In the following years, the artist became increasingly withdrawn. Zille died on the morning of August 9, 1929. He was given an honorary grave by the city of Berlin in the Südwestkirchhof (Southwest Cemetery) in Stahnsdorf. The relief on Zille's gravestone (1929) is by August Kraus, with whom Zille was a friend. Source: https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Zille

Both the British and Italian military cemeteries were intended to allow the fallen to rest "in foreign soil in their homeland." For this purpose, enclosed cemetery complexes were created in the Southwest Cemetery, clearly demarcating areas of national remembrance from the surrounding grounds. It was no coincidence that a previously undeveloped area far from the main entrance was chosen for the foreign military cemeteries, where hardly any burial activity has been recorded to this day. Soldiers died not only on the battlefields, but also in hospitals and, above all, in prisoner-of-war camps from exhaustion and disease. Far from the front lines of World War I, the military cemeteries in the Southwest Cemetery bear witness primarily to this aspect of the war. When Great Britain and Italy, after the end of World War I, searched for suitable sites for the establishment of cemeteries of honor to transfer the individual graves of the prisoner-of-war camps scattered across German territory to central facilities, the Southwest Cemetery in Stahnsdorf was quickly chosen. This allowed the construction of a representative memorial at a location of their choice. Great Britain and Italy seized this opportunity to establish stone diplomatic presences in the catchment area of the Reich capital, Berlin. Further detailed information can be found in a 2017 article by Anett Ladegast, "The First World War as Reflected on National Remembrance - The Three Military Cemeteries at the Südwestkirchhof Stahnsdorf near Berlin" at: https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/rihajournal/article/view/70289/70090

Directly in the entrance area of the Südwestkirchhof Stahnsdorf cemetery stands the masterpiece of Berlin sculptor Ludwig Manzel: a monumental marble relief of Christ. 23 life-size figures (the elderly, the sick, the suffering, the blind, a widower with children, and the sinner) turn from both sides toward Jesus Christ, seated in the center, from whom they hope for salvation. The text from the Gospel of Matthew is fitting: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Christ here is not the "universally pleasing blessing," but rather one recognizes his compassion for the suffering. They are almost naked to avoid any class distinction. The artist Ludwig Manzel died on November 20, 1936, and found his final resting place close to his greatest life's work. In contrast, however, his grave is simple. It stands just a few meters across the main path. Source: https://www.tagesspiegel.de/potsdam/potsdam-mittelmark/inspirationen-auf-einem-friedhof-in-paris-7791865.html

Nice to look at

Guided tours of the very large cemetery are also available by bike https://www.suedwestkirchhof.de/veranstaltungen.html

The grave of the Siemens family with the company founder Werner von Siemens