AKA: Friedhof I der St. Elisabeth-Gemeinde

Administration:
Friedhofskommission der Ev. Kirchengemeinde Sophien
Bergstrasse 29
10115 Berlin-Mitte
Tel.: 030 - 28 59 98 15

The first cemetery of the Lutheran St. Elisabeth Congregation was originally opened in 1844, across the street from the Friedhof II der Sophiengemeinnde, which was opened in 1827.
The cemetery was originally 2.5 acres in size, eventually grew to 8.7 acres, but soon filled up and in 1875 the congregation opened the second cemetery, located at Wollankstrasse. Yet this original grave yard has been in use consistently since its opening. The cemetery chapel was built in 1884.
In 1892 the "Versöhnungskirche" (Church of the Redeemer) was built at the northern edge of the cemetery. For its construction the cemetery had to be reduced in size. The graves located at that spot were unearthed and the remains relocated. World War II caused significant damage to the old mausoleums and family plots of former wealthy Berlin merchants and aristocrats. After the Berlin Wall was erected in 1961 the Versöhnungskirche ended up in "no-man's-land" and was no longer used. The congregation had to find another place of worship. Under the political influence of the Russians the East German government eventually destroyed the church in the middle of the Berlin Wall Strip in 1985. With it a part of the cemetery now laid in ruins itself. After the re-unification in 1989 the cemetery and some of its historic monuments were restored. The cemetery now has the size of again only 2.6 acres, but it is still in use.
In 1999 the St. Elisabeth and St. Sophie Congregations merged and now the cemetery is being managed by the Lutheran St. Sophie Congregation.

Please note that the graves in Germany are not perpetual. After a certain period of repose (20-30 years) the graves are being leveled and re-used. There is no toxic embalming being done in Germany, so the coffin and the corpse can decompose naturally. If the family of the deceased decides to purchase another period the duration can be extended by another 30 years. Otherwise the grave will be leveled and reused, the marker than used as gravel in road construction. War Graves are considered memorials and are kept up by the owner of the cemetery. Those are kept forever. Also the town or owner of the cemetery might find a grave of historical significance and will protect and keep it.