Vienna Central Cemetery

Cemetery - der Friedhof

I realize that these are the first photos I am posting of Vienna from this stay.  I promise the cemetery is not the only place we have visited. It is however, one I want to write about - because it is so interesting.

The Vienna Central Cemetery is the most well known in Vienna.  There are many famous people buried there as well. And it is used as more than a cemetery, but a destination both for tourist and non-tourist alike.

I took the Klara and Miriam several years ago to admire and learn a bit more history and culture. The Viennese culture is ... well a bit unique.. perhaps a bit morbid humor. There is a funeral museum and in the gift shop they proudly partnered with Lego to have various sets (including zombies). Last year, there was a show that was asking each area of Austria to share one unique feature (it was like competition). Vienna chose the Central Cemetery.   One can also purchase honey from the beehives in the Cemetery!

When one goes to the Cemetery, there are tram stops, public buses, a cafe with a terrace overlooking the greenery. There are running trail signs and suggestions. Tours, by foot or carriage.  And self guided signs.

When I went a few years ago, we went by foot and our mission was to find Falco.  And like in a movie, we noticed the weather changing the farther we got into the cemetery. By the time we got to Falco's grave we were able to stand for about a minute and that is when the storm made us turn around and run for cover.

For the well known Austrians, they are mostly close together in groups, for example: Scientists, politicians, authors, musicians, actors and artists. Beethoven, Brahms Schubert, Hedy Lamar to the Presidents of Austria.

So it seems appropriate every few years, during different seasons to visit.

This past Sunday, Stephan and I headed out to meet a couple friends to stroll through. Stephan and I got there early and we walked around the Jewish section. Many of these graves were very old and they are in the process of cleaning up this (as well as the Jewish Cemetery elsewhere).

The interesting thing I found was there were Jewish barons (and baronesses) and other "high titles"  buried in this section. Like in the other section, the more "important" were in the front and as one continued to walk - there were more "regular."   As Stephan and I walked through the Jewish section - we were both overcome with sadness. I couldn't explain why I was crying, but Stephan summed it up best. It was not that people die - that is normal. What is not normal - is the gap in time from the majority of the deaths and the lost generations.  The majority passed before WWII. That is clear. And then there are the few that returned after fleeing, hiding or surviving the Concentration Camps. So we did see graves with dates clearly proving some survivors returned.  For me, the lack of stones on the headstones made me weepy. In the Jewish culture, when one is to visit a grave, one puts a stone on the grave as way to remember. It was a harsh reminder of the families lost. Stephan and I chose a symbolic one to place our stones on. It was a simple one,  that seemed like no one was left to remember them. We remembered.