An unknown refugee

One of the more dark chapters of Danish history, the treatment of the German refugees at the end of World War II is very evident at Vestre Cemetery. Here is a total of 5.344 refugees buried out of the 17.209 that died in 1945-49 in Denmark. There's still discussion about the treatment of these almost 200.000 as they were put under guard in camps. Some argue that they were treated well enough, others that the public anger at the Germans due to the occupation of Denmark was the reason why so many died here.

Flowers in the snow

 

A detail shot from Vestre Cemetery in Valby, a great place to go to get some close-ups of details. Also a great place to wander through the Danish history of the last 100 years. Here you'll find the graves of primeministers, artists, magnates, soldiers from the two world wars, German refugees, immigrants from all over the world and ordinary people lying shoulder to shoulder. There's sections for Catholics and Moslems, for people from Greenland and the Faroe Islands, along with a host of others. Even though I've been here many times, I can still stumble over something I haven't noticed before.

 

Break the rules

 

Never turn your lens toward the sun people say, but sometimes you get nice photographs breaking the rules. This one, taken with an iPhone at Vestre Cemetery, was one of those times.

 

Winter is back

 

Winter is back in Copenhagen, bringing a nice cover of fresh snow over all. And making bw photography easy again. This one I took yesterday with my iPhone at Vestre Cemetery a few minutes walk from my work. I got a few good ones using my Nikon too as it's (nearly) always with me, even when working.

 

Remembrance Day

The 11th day of the 11th month is Remembrance Day in Britain and the Commonwealth, the day where all the dead of the armed forces are remembered. This day, also called Armistice Day or Poppy Day has been a tradition since the end of World War I, which ended in 1918 on "The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month". There's not many British war graves in Denmark compared to many other countries, but it's possibly to find a few. This one is a monument in Vestre Cemetery in Copenhagen and was raised in 1920 to honour the British soldiers who died in Denmark during their detention here. The inscription reads: 

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF NINETEEN BRITISH SOLDIERS WHO DIED IN DENMARK 1918 - 1919 ON THEIR JOURNEY HOME FROM CAPTIVITY

A bit Morbid?

I know that many people find it a bit morbid to visit cemeteries, but Vestre Cemetery in Copenhagen is a favourite for its many old monuments and park-like atmosphere. So there I was in February and couldn't resist snapping this broken profile.

Going Retro V

Another Hipstamatic for iPhone photo from Vestre Cemetery, this one of some of the several thousand graves of German civilian refugees from just after WWII that are here. Also the graves of 4.643 German soldiers can be found at this cemetery.

Going Retro IV

One place that is perfect for those retro photos with the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone is Vestre Cemetery in Copenhagen. Here you have just the right timeless objects and the right atmosphere to make these shots just seem right.

More Colours

On a beautiful sunny day the autumn colours at Vestre Cemetery really stand out.

Under a Yellow Roof

Another photo from Vestre Cemetery in Copenhagen. Here the autumn leaves almost make this road look like a tunnel.

Stairs

Another place to go in Copenhagen to enjoy the autumn colours is one of the many cemeteries as these are kept almost like parks. This one is from the Vestre Cemetery not far from my home and shows the stairs leading to the upper level.

An elusive animal

One of the most difficult animals to photograph is, in my opinion, this one; the squirrel. Even though it's used to people it is very shy and very quick so to get good close-ups requires a lot of patience and a lot of luck. I'm still working on getting a really good one... This one was taken at Vestre Cemetery in Copenhagen where the squirrels enjoy the abundance of greenery and the relative quiet.

At the cemetery

The park-like cemetery of Vestre Kirkegård (Western Cemetery) is a great place to get some photos in the box. At autumn there's a special atmosphere there especially in the morning where you'll only meet very few people.

Path

In the South end of Vestre Cemetery two long straight paths crosses each other at the building in the background. It's almost artistic. This image was taken on the same cold morning as yesterdays, hence the low sun and the frost on the grass. It's almost a twin of Wikipedia's picture but that was unintentional.

Soul Collector

Leaving the churches for a bit and going to the cemeteries instead I have this photo for. It was taken a frosty morning at Vestre Cemetery in Valby, Copenhagen. I like the photo for its frost on the surface which gives the bronze a very special look.

Vestre Cemetery is one of five large cemeteries in Copenhagen. It functions not only as a cemetery, but also as a park. And with ½ km2 there's room enough for both. It was opened in 1870 and has different sections for both Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, German soldiers, Greenland, Faroe Islands and English soldiers. In the middle of the cemetery is a lake around which only important persons can be buried. In this area you find a number of late Prime Ministers, explorers, actors and artists. It's a beautiful landscaped area, perfect for reflection on life and a quiet stroll while brushing up on one's historic knowledge.

I'll bring more photos from this and other cemeteries in the days to come.