The General Cemetery in Dordrecht
During the May days of 1940, many German soldiers were killed in Dordrecht and the surrounding region. Across the island, hastily prepared emergency and field graves for German soldiers could be found. As the German regime likely lacked either the means—or more probably the will—to repatriate these fallen soldiers to Germany, they were often given permanent graves in local cemeteries. The cemetery in Krispijn is one such example.
On the Dutch side, the number of casualties was also considerable. In most cases, they too were given a permanent resting place at the cemetery in Dordrecht. In some instances, however, Dutch casualties were reinterred in their place of birth or residence, where they ultimately received their final resting place.
During the war, additional German graves were added to the cemetery—for example, those of wounded soldiers who died in Dordrecht hospitals, or victims of bombings or fighting in the region. After the liberation, public sentiment toward Germans was extremely negative. There was little sympathy for the many German graves that had come to exist throughout the country.
Eventually, nearly all German war dead were transferred to Ysselsteyn in the province of South Limburg, where most are now buried. The earliest German graves were marked with small wooden crosses, likely bearing the Erkennungsmarke number—the identification number found on a soldier’s dog tag. Soon, a variety of grave markers appeared, probably made and placed by soldiers from the units themselves. By the spring of 1941, all German graves were fitted with a uniform type of marker in the form of an “Iron Cross.”
Dutch graves were initially marked with small wooden plaques bearing the name of the deceased. Around 1941, these were replaced with flat, uniformly shaped stones inscribed with names and personal messages from families.
Some of the original Dutch graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht have, since May 1940, been transferred to private cemeteries in the municipalities of the next of kin, or to the national war cemeteries at Loenen or the Grebbeberg military cemetery.
For Dutch war graves in the Dordrecht region, please refer to the following link War Graves in the Dordrecht and the Area .
1. A German soldier visits German graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
2. German graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
3. Access Ehrenfriedhof during World War II at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
4. Civic graves during World War II at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
5. Five German war graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
6. Close up of the German war graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
7. More German war graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
8. German war graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
9. German soldiers at the war graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
10. German soldiers at the war graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
11. Two Dutch war graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
12. Fallschirmjäger memorial stone at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
13. German Parachutist graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
14. German war graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
15. more German war graves at the cemetery in Dordrecht
16. German war graves General cemetery in Dordrecht
17. German war graves General cemetery in Dordrecht
18. German war graves General cemetery in Dordrecht
19. German war graves General cemetery in Dordrecht
20. German war graves General cemetery in Dordrecht
21. German soldiers at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
22. German soldiers at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
23. The cemetery in later stages in Dordrecht
24. The grave of cannonier Kahnenbley at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
25. Freshly mined grave of gefreiter Knaute
26. Freshly dug graves of Unteroffizier Ulmer and Kannonier Kahnenbley
27. German luftwaffe soldiers at the General Cemetery
28. A Kriegsmarine funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht K5
29. A Kriegsmarine funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht K6
30. A Kriegsmarine funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht K4
31. Photos of German graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht K7
32. Photos of German graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht K8
33. Photos of German graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht K9
34. A German funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
35. Friedrich Herzinger - At the general cemetery
36. Friedrich Herzinger - At the general cemetery with General Erich Höcker
37. Recording of two German parachutist graves at the cemetery in Dordrecht K22
38. Cracking at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht in May 1940 by a German officer
39. German tribute to the dead of May 1940 at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
40. German soldiers pay tribute to the cases at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht in May 1940
41. A German officer sends a final greeting to the German fallen at the General Cemetery in May 1940.
42. A German soldier at the war grave of W
43. The war grave of Jäger Werner Pusemann at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht in May 1940
44. The war tomb of Gefreiter B
45. The war graves of Gefreiter Mohs and Obergefreiter Eberle at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht in May 1940
46. The war grave of Gefreiter Heinz Hölzke at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht in May 1940
47. First German war graves in May 1940 at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht
48. The memorial stone of the 2nd Battalion of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 1
49. German war graves shortly after their construction
50. German tribute General Cemetery Dordrecht Second World War
51. German tribute General Cemetery Dordrecht Second World War
52. German funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II 326
53. German funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II 327
54. German funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II 328
55. German funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II 329
56. German funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II 330
57. German funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II 331
58. German funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II 332
59. German funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II 333
60. German burial at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II 334
61. German funeral at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II 335
62. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
63. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
64. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
65. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
66. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
67. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
68. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
69. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
70. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
71. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
72. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
73. German military cemetery at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
74. German parachutist graves at the General Cemetery in Dordrecht in May 1940
75. German war graves at the general cemetery in Dordrecht during World War II
76. War graves of members of PAK Versuchs Kompanie in Dordrecht in May 1940
77. War graves of members of PAK Versuchs Kompanie in Dordrecht in May 1940
78. War graves of members of PAK Versuchs Kompanie in Dordrecht in May 1940