Major Rathbone's accomodation in Hannover

[Eva Elisabeth]

(06-07-2013 07:02 AM)Rsmyth Wrote:  Eva, some cemeteries indicate in their records if there is a marker on the plot. Is there anything in the records? Is so, what did the cemetery do with them? Is there a chance the very efficient German's documented (pictures) it?

Do you mean a gravestone or just a sign with the number? As I said, each gravesite has a little metal plate with the plot number on it, which is noted in the interment registration book, right side. Gravestones are not explicitly documented since they are usually not erected immediately but after a certain period of time, and it's up to the family to organise this. It seems Rathbone's family didn't care a lot, this is my speculation. After the Major's death as well as after the renting period had expired a certain period of time had passed before the cemetery took further action and both, the cem. admin. as well as the Stadtarchiv traced this back to the unsuccessful attempt to contact relatives in the US. As to the question of shipping home the bodies: I haven't checked if this was forbidden, as Martha suggested, but will check, and don't think it was, remember: Abraham Jack Lincoln's body was shipped home, too. If there had been a gravestone it would have been taken away. This is what the cemetery does after the time expires: they level the grave superficially and take the stone away, but they leave the remains in the depth.
One final remark on the bomb raid rumor: The cemetery (due to the admin.) was just slightly affected, some gravestones canted over and were immediatly reerected. After seeing the place I would second this. There are about 35 gravesites of local celebrities (and a lot more of non-celebrities), two of them in section 30, that had been buried before 1911, which still are in original condition, as it is well documented in a brochure for guided tours. Another evidence IMO is that a lot of trees for sure are older than 70 years, and it's unlikely they survived unharmed while the gravesites in between were seriously destroyed down to the depht.

Roger, I really have to get this book, it causes goose-bumps reading this, especially with regard to the "Dr Rosenbach" report and after seeing the church and the former cloister. It was a peaceful, but also somewhat oppressive place and although a modern institution, IMO such a medieval setting is certainly not a place to find closure with one's past. May I repeat Martha's question: does the author just explain the Major's ambiguity and feeling of guiltiness by his war experiences or is there any indication for former abnormalities of behaviour and motion?