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After the Great War, many Belgian communities had a German WW1 cementries. The Belgian government granted Allied nations eternal sovereignty for their WWI cemeteries, but charged the Germans exorbitant rent, enough of a drain on the finances of the Weimar government to cause them to eventually consolidate all of the smaller German cemeteries into 184 cementries, the most well-known of these located at Langemark. The community of Langemark had in total 17 German cementries. Of of these was called 'Langemarck-Nord' or 'Nr. 123' located at the Klerkenstraat.
The graves were marked with heavy wooden crosses. These were replaced in 1957-'58 by numbered stone monuments.
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| Langemark Cementry , how it was .... (Picture Flanders Fields Museum - Documentatiecentrum Caenepeel Ieper) |
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| Langemark Cementry , today .... (Picture : http://home.t-online.de/home/hinrich.dirksen/yp.htm) |
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| Langemark Cementry , today .... (Picture : http://home.t-online.de/home/hinrich.dirksen/yp.htm) |
The temporary markers were abandoned, most disappeared but a few were retained by Belgian museums and collectors of the period.
LIPPOW Karl
Gren.
11./R.J.R. 64
11.9.1918
36003
Reverse has routed marker number "590".
Cross is covered with 5 1/4" wide 'roof', top joint protected by copper sheet cap. The horizontal wooden part seems to be of a later date compared with the other wood. But definitly a period replacement.
This 'hooded cross' is one of the best known of the many different Imperial temporary grave markers that were used until stones could be arranged after the war.
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| Hooded Cross |
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| Hooded Cross |
The second example is a simple cross, marked 'Unbekanter Deutsche Krieger' (unknow German soldier).
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| Hooded Cross |
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| Hooded Cross |
Before 1919 ... A site devoted to Great War Militaria (WW1) and collectibles. We have many topics covering the following studies : World War 1 Steel Helmets, Spiked helmets, various headgear including peaked caps or képi 's , (schirmmütze), uniforms, gas mask, infantry troops and equipment , badges, Uniform and Equipment of many nations, including Germany, France, Belgium and the UK. We also have some links to reenactment groups.
