The German Military Cemetery, Glencree
Der Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof Glencree
— Reilig Mhíleata Gearmánach i nGleann Criothaigh —
The general layout of the cemetery is fan-shaped with eight curved pathways alongside which the graves are laid out. The remains are buried in pairs with two names, where these are known, on each flat grave slab. The average age of the identified remains is 25 years and the youngest burial is aged 19 years. The stone crosses spread throughout the burial plots are symbolic memorial crosses and not related to specific burials.
While all of those buried in this cemetery lost their lives as casualties of war, the following may stand for the destiny of many others:
World War I
Six soldiers of World War I are buried here. These soldiers died of natural causes while prisoners in a British prisoner of war camp located in Ireland from 1915 to 1918. Two of the known soldiers were from the Prussian Guards - Private Gierzweski who died of diabetes in Templemore in 1914 and Private Spellerberg who died of food poisoning in 1915.
World War II
The remains of the youngest identified person to be found in Glencree are those of Lieutenant Kurt Tiggemann. Born on 20 April 1922, he and three
this page online
Arandora Star
At the commencement of World War II the British authorities detained all German and Italian nationals living in Great Britain. It was decided to send some of the detainees to internment camps in Canada and on the 1st July 1940 a contingent of German and Italian detainees departed Liverpool for Canada aboard the SS Arandora Star. On the morning of 2nd July 1940 the ship was torpedoed off the coast of Co. Donegal by a German submarine, U47, with the loss of over 800 lives. 46 of the many bodies washed up along the Irish coast were positively identified as German and have been given a final resting place in this cemetery.
Alle hier Begrabenen verloren ihr Leben infolge der Kriege. Die Schicksale der nachfolgend genannten Personen könnten von besonderem interesse sein und stehen stellvertretend für viele andere.
Erster Weltkrieg
Auf dem Friedhof sind sechs Soldaten aus dem 1.Weltkrieg begraben. Sie starben eines natürlichen Todes während der Gefangenschaft in einem britischen Internierungslager. Zwei der bekannten Soldaten gehörten der Preußischen Garde an - der Gefreite Gierszweski, der im Jahre 1914 in Templemore den Folgen seiner Diabeteskrankung erlag, und der Gefreite Spellerberg, der 1915 eine Lebensmittelvergiftung erlitt.
Zweiter Weltkrieg
Das jüngste hier begrabene Opfer ist Leutnant Kurt Tiggeman. Geboren am 20.April 1922 kam er zusammen mit drei Besatzungsmitgliedern, dem Gefreiten Ehrfried Kolwe (*1921), dem Feldwebel Wilhelm Böhmer (*1915) und dem Obergefreiten Hans Szuflita (*1915) ums Leben, als sein Flugzeug am 11.Oktober 1941 über Irland abstürzte. Kurt Tiggemann was zunächst auf dem Bergfriedhof in Rathnure bei
The Arandora Star
Zu Beginn des Zweiten Weltskreigs nahmen britische Behörden alle in Großbritannien lebenden Deutschen und Italiener in Gefangenschaft. Es wurde entschieden, einen Teil von ihnen in Internierungslager nach Kanada zu überführen. Am 1.Juli 1940 verließ ein Kontingent deutscher und italienischer Kriegsgefangener Liverpool auf dem Schiff „SS Arandora Star” in Richtung Kanada. Am Morgen des 2.Juli 1940 wurde das Schiff vor der Küste der Grafschaft Donegal vom deutschen U-Boot U 47 torpediert. 800 Menschen verloren ihr Leben. 46 der Leichname wurden an der irischen Küste angeschwemmt und zweifelsfrei als Deutsche identifiziert. Ihren wurde eine letzte Ruhestätte auf diesem Friedhof gegeben.
Fuair gach éinne atá curtha anseo bás de bharr cogaidh. Seans go mbeidh suim ar Leith ag baint leis na firicí seo leanas:
An Chéad Cogadh Domhanda
Sé Leifteanant Kurt Tiggemannan duine is óige atá curthain Gleann Criothaigh. Rugadh é ar an fichiú lá d'Aibreán 1922. Fuair sé féin agus triúr ball den chriú - eitleoir den chéad grad Ehrfried Kolwe (a rugadh sa bhliain 1921), an Sáirsint Wilhelm Böhmer (a rugadh sa bhliain 1915) agus eitleoir den triú grád Hans Szuflita - bás nuair a phléasc a n-eitleán ar thalamh na hÉireann ar an t-aonú lá déag de mhíDeireFómhair 1941.
Ar dtú scuireadh corp Leifteanant Tiggemann i reilig an phobial l RáthNua, gar do Inis Córthaigh, Co Loch Garman. Níos déanaí aistríodh a chorp, maraon le coirp a gcompánach, go dtí an seanbhaile sa Reilig Mhíleata Gearmánach i nGleann Criothaigh.
Arandora Star
Nuair a cuireadh tús le Cogadh Domhanda II choinnigh na húdaráis sa Bhreatain na Gearmánaigh agus lodálaigh a raibh cónaí orthu ann. Socraíodh go gcuirfí cuid des ne cimí sin chuig campaí géibhinn i gCeanada ar an gcéad lá de Mhí lúil 1940. D'fhág scata cimí Gearmánacha Learpholl ar a slí go Ceanada ar bhord An Arandora Star. Ar mhaidin an dara lá de Mhí lúil cuireadh an long go tóin, le toirpéad, gar do chósta Dún nan Gall, ag fómhuireán
Erected by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation.
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Patriots & Patriotism • War, World I • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Lost at Sea series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 20, 1922.
Location. 53° 12.056′ N, 6° 17.534′ W. Marker is near Glencree, Leinster, in County Wicklow. Memorial is on Local Route L1011, 0.6 kilometers east of Leinster Route R115, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Glencree, Leinster A98 D635, Ireland. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 16 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. A different marker also named The German Military Cemetery, Glencree (a few steps from this marker); Powerscourt Estate Terraces (approx. 7.3 kilometers away); Tiny and Teddy and Eugenie and Princess (approx. 7.4 kilometers away); The "Three Fates" (approx. 15.3 kilometers away); James Joyce (approx. 15.3 kilometers
Also see . . .
1. Glencree German War Cemetery. (Submitted on June 25, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. German Military Cemetery, Glencree at Find A Grave. (Submitted on June 25, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation (nearby). (Submitted on June 25, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
4. German Military Cemetery WWI & WWII Glencree Co. Wicklow Ireland. This is a youtube video I made of The German Military Cemetery in Glencree
This is a youtube video made of The German Military Cemetery in Glencree and is a record of most burials c/w Photographs of the service men. This brings about a bit more humanity as you see some of the men are just kids with big smiles and hopes for the future.(Submitted on March 28, 2023, by Brian Bolger of Dublin, Dublin.)
Heribert Billa's (Age just 21) photo is an example of this as he proudly links his mother or girlfriend who's just out of the picture frame.
It's also important to note that of the 6 WW1 burials here it says they all died of natural cause. This is not true as August Bockmeyer (27) was shot dead by British Forceswhile trying to escape the Curragh Camp. His dying words from camp records are recorded in this video.Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 15, 20197. Two Unknown German Sailors Grave Marker in the German Military Cemetery, Glencree
Credits. This page was last revised on March 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 24, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 160 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 25, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 3, 4. submitted on June 24, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on June 25, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
