Cemeteries are everywhere in Germany. Centuries of history combined with a culture built upon memorializing and remembrance give cities like Berlin some of their most beautiful greenspaces. People treat the cemeteries like public parks, so unlike the sterile flat lawns of cemeteries back home you have shady groves, beautiful statuary, and plenty of benches to sit on. It is common to see people having lunch or just hanging out with friends in the cemeteries. Cemetery photography has been a hobby of mine for years, so Berlin was the perfect place for me.
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Black Cat, Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Mass Grave, Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Vines, Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Elliott Cribbs
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Bertoldt Brecht, Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Elliott Cribbs
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Elliott Cribbs
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Elliott Cribbs
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Battle of Berlin & Others, Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dreifaltigkeitsfriedhof II – Trinity Cemetery, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Elliott and I stopped by Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof to see the graves of the Grimm Brothers. This is about 30 minutes away by train, a completely random and out of the way corner of Berlin near the Steglitz borough. As we are walking through the cemetery taking photos, I see someone slowly coming towards us in the distance that triggers a familiar response in me. We continue to walk up the path, stopping to photograph or read the headstones, and the person on the path does the same. After about 20 minutes of this, we get lose enough that I see who it is. Out of 3 million people in Berlin, our friend from Bellingham, Ben Kohn, is standing in front of me. Seriously, I can’t tell you how astronomical the odds of that are, that we happened to be at the same cemetery, at the same time, let alone that we happened to be walking up the same path he was coming down. We decide such implausible synchronicity deserved a beer.
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
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