Development of the cemetery
August Buxbaum designed Waldfriedhof as a large horseshoe-shaped cemetery with a symmetrical circulation system. Distinctive entrance architecture and the long north-south axis organise the extensive grounds.
- 1913–1914
Crematorium and opening
The first crematorium was built and the cemetery opened in 1914.
- 1918
Funeral and mortuary halls
The principal buildings, delayed by the First World War, were completed.
- by 1922
Completion of the ensemble
Further cemetery buildings completed the symmetrical entrance ensemble.
Space, architecture and remembrance
The cemetery is about 650 metres long. Diagonal and circular paths complement the central axis. An extensive memorial includes the mass grave for about 12,000 victims of the Darmstadt firestorm of 11 September 1944. The municipal Waldfrieden crematorium is a separate operation at the cemetery and should not be confused with the cemetery administration.
The cemetery tour links the southern service area, the firestorm memorial and West Gate. It is not a signposted route.