Tag Archives: graveyard

Art, Berlin, Photos, Urban Nature

Gallery: Friedhöfe vor dem Halleschen Tor

I spent the day in Kreuzberg with my friends Elliott and Ben. We found this cemetery that had not only Felix Mendelssohn’s grave, but also E.T.A. Hoffmann, the Romantic-era author of the book The Nutcracker was based on, as well as the protagonist of Offenbach’s opera Tales of Hoffman.

Angela Brower (Nicklausse) and Diana Damrau (Giulietta) in the 4th act of Jacques Offenbach’s “Les contes d’Hoffmann” in a production by Richard Jones. Bayerische Staatsoper 2011.

History, Photos, Themes

Theme: Cemeteries

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.