The Old Catholic Cemetery (German: Alter Katholischer Friedhof) ) consecrated in 1720, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Dresden, Saxony. It was the first Catholic burial ground established in the town after the Reformation. It is located in the Friedrichstadt district, on the left bank of the Elbe. Due to the vast number of baroque, rococo and neoclassical tombs and monuments, the designated historic landmark is one of the most culturally and historically important cemeteries in the Dresden region.[1]
The cemetery was founded during the reign of Augustus II the Strong in 1720–1721, who converted to Roman Catholicism in order to be elected king of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. As a Catholic ruler of a Protestant land, there was suddenly an increasing Catholic presence in the royal court of Dresden, with the influx of Catholic artists, scholars and officials coming to the capital of Saxony which grew even larger after his son Augustus III of Poland's marriage to the Maria Josepha of Austria. Maria Josepha was raised as a staunch Catholic and had her marriage contract declared that "all of her male and female servants should be buried in their own consecrated churchyard, according to the rites of the Roman Catholic church."[2]
The cemetery was located outside of city limits at the time it was founded to avoid an escalation of the public controversy due to sectarian conflicts, since Saxon law in the strictly Protestant city of Dresden in the 17th century prohibited the burial of non-Protestants, including the Jews and Catholics, inside the city walls. At first, the burial ground was intended to inter the remains of Catholics, primarily from Maria Josepha's court, her servants, the local nobility of Catholics from other German states, as well as from Italy and France. Many members of the Polish nobility, after the uprisings of 1830–1831, are also buried there. At the beginning, it was prohibited to build any chapels or crypts on the cemetery ground.
The first burial took place on February 16, 1724, when Johann Carl Philipp Molteno, an Italian actor was buried in the Catholic cemetery, followed by twenty-seven more burials that year.[3]
On September 9, 1738, by the decree of Friedrich August II, all Catholics living within the borders of Dresden were permitted to be buried in the Catholic cemetery, as well as the Catholic residents of Neustadt, Leipzig and other neighboring towns were also allowed to find their final resting place in Dresden's Catholic Cemetery. As a result, the cemetery land became inadequate and therefore it was expanded in 1740 and 1742. In 1842, Bishop Franz Laurenz Mauermann expanded the cemetery for a last time to its current size of 11,000 m2. A cemetery church named St. Michael's Chapel dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel was built on the new cemetery ground and was consecrated on September 7, 1842. In 1914, the chapel was expanded by an extension to make room for the installation of the Crucifixion scene depicting The Descent from the Cross by sculptor Balthasar Permoser and a portal with a relief of Christ Carrying the Cross by Matthias Corr. Next to the entrance, there are two memorial crosses erected to the memory of the members of the Wettin royal family. In 1995, the gatehouse and the cemetery walls were extensively renovated.[4]
^"History of the Old Catholic Cemetery in Dresden on the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dresden–Meissen website". Retrieved 2023-09-25.
^Johann Christian Hasche: Diplomatische Geschichte Dresdens. Teil 1, nebst Urkundenbuch. Selbstverlag, Dresden 1816, S. 677f.
^Gudrun Schlechte: Der Alte Katholische Friedhof in der Friedrichstadt zu Dresden. Hille, Dresden 2004, S. 10.
^"Records of Catholic Musicians, Actors and Dancers at the Court of August II, 1723–32: the Establishment of the Catholic Cemetery in Dresden". Retrieved 2023-09-25.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alter Katholischer Friedhof, Dresden.
History of the cemetery and photo album (in German)
April 09, 2024
catholic, cemetery, dresden, confused, with, catholic, church, catholic, church, catholic, cemetery, german, alter, katholischer, friedhof, consecrated, 1720, oldest, cemeteries, dresden, saxony, first, catholic, burial, ground, established, town, after, refor. Not to be confused with Old Catholic Church Old Catholic Church The Old Catholic Cemetery German Alter Katholischer Friedhof consecrated in 1720 is one of the oldest cemeteries in Dresden Saxony It was the first Catholic burial ground established in the town after the Reformation It is located in the Friedrichstadt district on the left bank of the Elbe Due to the vast number of baroque rococo and neoclassical tombs and monuments the designated historic landmark is one of the most culturally and historically important cemeteries in the Dresden region 1 Alter Katholischer FriedhofChapel of the Old Catholic Cemetery in DresdenDetailsEstablished1720LocationDresdenCountryGermanyCoordinates51 03 37 N 13 43 09 E 51 0603 N 13 7193 E 51 0603 13 7193TypeCatholic cemeteryOwned byRoman Catholic Diocese of Dresden MeissenSize1 1 haFind a GraveAlter Katholischer Friedhof Contents 1 History and description 2 Notable burials 3 Gallery 4 References 5 External linksHistory and description editThe cemetery was founded during the reign of Augustus II the Strong in 1720 1721 who converted to Roman Catholicism in order to be elected king of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth As a Catholic ruler of a Protestant land there was suddenly an increasing Catholic presence in the royal court of Dresden with the influx of Catholic artists scholars and officials coming to the capital of Saxony which grew even larger after his son Augustus III of Poland s marriage to the Maria Josepha of Austria Maria Josepha was raised as a staunch Catholic and had her marriage contract declared that all of her male and female servants should be buried in their own consecrated churchyard according to the rites of the Roman Catholic church 2 The cemetery was located outside of city limits at the time it was founded to avoid an escalation of the public controversy due to sectarian conflicts since Saxon law in the strictly Protestant city of Dresden in the 17th century prohibited the burial of non Protestants including the Jews and Catholics inside the city walls At first the burial ground was intended to inter the remains of Catholics primarily from Maria Josepha s court her servants the local nobility of Catholics from other German states as well as from Italy and France Many members of the Polish nobility after the uprisings of 1830 1831 are also buried there At the beginning it was prohibited to build any chapels or crypts on the cemetery ground The first burial took place on February 16 1724 when Johann Carl Philipp Molteno an Italian actor was buried in the Catholic cemetery followed by twenty seven more burials that year 3 On September 9 1738 by the decree of Friedrich August II all Catholics living within the borders of Dresden were permitted to be buried in the Catholic cemetery as well as the Catholic residents of Neustadt Leipzig and other neighboring towns were also allowed to find their final resting place in Dresden s Catholic Cemetery As a result the cemetery land became inadequate and therefore it was expanded in 1740 and 1742 In 1842 Bishop Franz Laurenz Mauermann expanded the cemetery for a last time to its current size of 11 000 m2 A cemetery church named St Michael s Chapel dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel was built on the new cemetery ground and was consecrated on September 7 1842 In 1914 the chapel was expanded by an extension to make room for the installation of the Crucifixion scene depicting The Descent from the Cross by sculptor Balthasar Permoser and a portal with a relief of Christ Carrying the Cross by Matthias Corr Next to the entrance there are two memorial crosses erected to the memory of the members of the Wettin royal family In 1995 the gatehouse and the cemetery walls were extensively renovated 4 Notable burials editList is sorted in order of the year of death Balthasar Permoser 1651 1732 among the leading sculptors of his generation Jan Dismas Zelenka 1679 1745 Czech composer and musician of the Baroque period Giovanni Battista Casanova 1730 1795 Italian painter and printmaker of the Neoclassic period Gerhard von Kugelgen 1772 1820 painter Carl Maria von Weber 1786 1826 composer conductor virtuoso pianist guitarist and critic of the early Romantic period Friedrich Schlegel 1772 1829 poet literary critic philosopher philologist and Indologist Kazimierz Brodzinski 1791 1835 Polish Romantic poet Johann Centurius Hoffmannsegg 1766 1849 botanist entomologist and ornithologist Auguste Charlotte von Kielmannsegge 1777 1863 noblewoman and Napoleon s secret agent Franziska Sontag 1788 1865 operatic soprano and stage actress Karl August Krebs 1804 1880 pianist composer conductor and Kapellmeister Theobald von Oer 1807 1885 painter illustrator and etcher Josef Tichatschek 1807 1886 Bohemian opera singer highly regarded by Richard Wagner Ernst Julius Hahnel 1811 1891 sculptor and professor at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts Mary Krebs Brenning 1851 1900 pianist Aloyse Michalesi 1824 1904 operatic contralto mother of Mary Krebs Brenning Ferdinand Pauwels 1830 1904 Belgian history painter Edmund Kretschmer 1830 1908 organist and composer Irene von Chavanne 1863 1938 Austrian operatic contralto Rudolf Bockelmann 1892 1958 dramatic baritone and Kammersanger Kurt Striegler 1886 1958 composer and directorGallery edit nbsp Entrance to the Old Catholic Cemetery on Friedrichstrasse 54 nbsp Crucifixion group by Balthasar Permoser nbsp Grave monument of Giovanni Battista Casanova nbsp Burial vault of the priests nbsp Cemetery chapel dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel nbsp Angel of the ResurrectionReferences edit History of the Old Catholic Cemetery in Dresden on the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dresden Meissen website Retrieved 2023 09 25 Johann Christian Hasche Diplomatische Geschichte Dresdens Teil 1 nebst Urkundenbuch Selbstverlag Dresden 1816 S 677f Gudrun Schlechte Der Alte Katholische Friedhof in der Friedrichstadt zu Dresden Hille Dresden 2004 S 10 Records of Catholic Musicians Actors and Dancers at the Court of August II 1723 32 the Establishment of the Catholic Cemetery in Dresden Retrieved 2023 09 25 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alter Katholischer Friedhof Dresden Old Catholic Cemetery at Find a Grave History of the cemetery and photo album in German Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Old Catholic Cemetery Dresden amp oldid 1182211437, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
