During both world wars, many German soldiers were taken prisoner of war. Some ended up here in Manchester due to being injured and needing medical treatment. The Manchester & Salford Family history forum has been researching these men who died while here in Manchester area. The burial records of those who died while been treated at either of these two hospitals. West Didsbury military hospital , formerly Withington workhouse and now known as Withington community hospital, Nell lane, Manchester & Crumpsall hospital now know as North Manchester General hospital. These men were originally buried in Southern cemetery, Nell lane Manchester, just up the road from the hospital. The graves were later exhumed and the service men's bodies reburied in Cannock Chase military cemetery, Staffordshire. The Cannock Chase military cemetery was gifted to the German government in March 1962. The graves consist of P.O.W. & service personnel, shot down over Great Britain . The cemetery ground were designed by a German Professor Diez Brandi & two local architects, Peter Leach & Harold Doffman. The graves are now maintained and over seen by the British Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraberfürsorge (German War Graves Commission).
Although the graves were moved from Manchester and around the country ( Manchester June 1962) as far as we can tell, no mention or markers were left at the original grave? On a visit to Southern cemetery, we could find no headstones relating to any of these service men, in fact the plot locations are now re-allocated to later burials of people from the Manchester area.
If you would like further help with any research relating to any of these service men, you can get help from this very useful websites & forum for German service personnel.
click here for the G.W.G.C site.
Every year since the German section of the cemetery has been built, young German's come over to work on the German graves. One of the most famous German prisoners of war is Bernhard Carl "Bert" Trautmann , born 1923 . He had lied about his age so he could join the Luftwaffe and was shot down aged 17. He remained in Manchester after the war and became a professional footballer who played for Manchester City from 1949 to 1964 & played over 500 games for the club.
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Not all the German men who died and are buried in Southern cemetery Manchester during both world conflicts were actual serving with the German forces, many actually lived, worked and had families here. These men because of the nationality were deemed enemies of the country and placed in prisoners of war camps around the country. Many of the German service men and German men who lived in the Manchester & Salford areas, survived the wars, but some did not. One such man was Hermann Krauss, who had come to Manchester to work and married a local girl, Margaret May Southern in Manchester 1902. Hermann Krauss had been working as a waiter at the Midland hotel Manchester prior to his death in 1915.
Hermann Krauss is buried in Southern cemetery along with his wife Margaret May Krauss nee Southern. Hermann Krauss was buried on 14th April 1915 and was still working as a hotel waiter but now residing at 86 Carter street. Grave section: Church of England, grave number: S-579. Margaret May Krauss buried 24th Nov 1933. Hermann Krauss had three children: Margaret May/Alice & Hermann Jnr.
We have found that there are many more German prisoners of war who were not serving German military men and are buried in Manchester cemeteries.
Hermann Krauss is buried in Southern cemetery along with his wife Margaret May Krauss nee Southern. Hermann Krauss was buried on 14th April 1915 and was still working as a hotel waiter but now residing at 86 Carter street. Grave section: Church of England, grave number: S-579. Margaret May Krauss buried 24th Nov 1933. Hermann Krauss had three children: Margaret May/Alice & Hermann Jnr.
We have found that there are many more German prisoners of war who were not serving German military men and are buried in Manchester cemeteries.
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