German Cemetery, Langemarck

Students' Cemetery, Langemarck
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Our first stop is the German war cemetery at Langemarck. Also called the Students’ Cemetery; 44,000 German soldiers or, to be more accurate, teenagers are buried here. In fact most of the men buried here would have been students, some as young as 15.

The cemetery has a very Teutonic feel and it is perhaps not surprising that it was designed and built by Nazi controlled Germany, before the Second World War. There is apparently a photograph of Adolph Hitler standing at the entrance to the cemetery, when he toured occupied Belgium. He made a point of visiting the areas that he had served in during the First World War.

Also called the Students’ Cemetery; 44,000 German soldiers or, to be more accurate, teenagers are buried here.

Students' Cemetery, Langemarck
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On one stone I notice a small plaque commemorating two British soldiers, Private A Carlill of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (died 4 Nov 1918) and Private L H Lockley of the Seafforth Highlanders (died 30 October 1918). Frank tells us that bodies from the First World War are still being dug up today and when they are identified, they are reburied in the relevant cemetery. Unfortunately two of these soldiers, were subsequently identified as British. It was decided to leave them in peace rather than exhume them again.