Then I made a few practice runs to the school where I'll be studying German next month; one via bus, one via subway.
This was to see which method took less time. Winner: subway.
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Then to the Central Cemetery to take some pictures. I found myself in the Jewish part of the cemetery...
On my way to the Jewish section, I passed this old wagon...
...and this lovely headstone.
These headstones were in relatively good condition.
But note the overgrown weeds. This is the norm in the Jewish section.
For understandable reasons: many of Vienna's Jews were exterminated
or forced to flee between 1938-1945. Who remains to care for their ancestors' graves?
But note the overgrown weeds. This is the norm in the Jewish section.
For understandable reasons: many of Vienna's Jews were exterminated
or forced to flee between 1938-1945. Who remains to care for their ancestors' graves?
As bad as this is, it gets worse.
Here's a pile of headstones. The best I can make out from the sign,
these were gathered into a pile after being scattered by bombing during the war.
Headstones overgrown with ivy.
Even elegant crypts are in disrepair.
I passed a series of graves with strange circular chips in them, most the size of a half-dollar. Had someone fired guns at the headstones to desecrate them? Or did this happen during Austria's brief civil war, maybe when fighters sought cover behind the stones? B said she thought there had been limited fighting in the cemetery back in the day.
She also says some headstones were damaged by shrapnel from exloding bombs during WW II, and the graves were later moved, which could account for a row of damaged headstones but no such damage in the rows adjacent.
She also says some headstones were damaged by shrapnel from exloding bombs during WW II, and the graves were later moved, which could account for a row of damaged headstones but no such damage in the rows adjacent.
The condition that leads to cemetery dwelling comes to us all, even if we don't end up in a cemetery. I haven't always lived my life the way I wanted to, or the way I thought I should. But more and more, I'm paying very close attention to the way I spend my remaining time.
That's an important consideration, and not one to be made by anyone other than us, individually.
4 comments:
The old (there is a "new" part as well, since the old one was already crowded in 1916) Jewish part of the cemetary was hit by misguided allied bombs in 1945 and 3000 graves were destroyed, hence the damage. Most of the graves have been restored in the meantime.
B
Those head stones are amazing!
~ The Tuckerbag ~
Ash, thank you for responding.
I highly recommend your blog---keeping it simple, and as inexpensive as possible. I want all my friends to check it out. Keep up the good work and the good life.
This is just one of the reasons I wish to be cremated among many.No reason to suck up any more space or leave any bigger mark/pox on the world after I am gone. Grave maintenance has fallen to me--when I am gone, our family plot will look much like these because apparently I am the only one that is capable or cares.
Must Read Peter Beagle "A Fine and Private Place" fantasy story about what goes on in the cemetary when everyone is gone--lovely story.
P-ster in OkC
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