With 34,000 burial plots across 25.9 ha, a search based only on a name is difficult to plan. A complete grave reference is the most useful starting point.
Understanding a grave reference
References such as 58-7-5, 080-1-3 or “Mauer links 5/6” identify a burial section, row and grave, or a position along the cemetery wall. They are not geographic coordinates.
The official PDF on the cemetery map page shows numbered burial sections and main paths. It has no name search and does not map individual graves as a register of people.
If you have a complete grave reference
- Copy or photograph it without changing the notation.
- Save the official PDF to your device.
- Find the burial section first; use the row and grave number once on site.
- Choose an entrance on the same side of the cemetery using the interactive map.
- Check opening hours and allow time to search within the section.
If you only have a name
Contact the cemetery administration before visiting. Prepare as much of the following as possible:
- full name and known spelling variants,
- year of birth and death,
- approximate date of burial,
- any older grave reference, directions or photograph,
- names of other people in the possible family grave.
This portal does not maintain a public grave register. Without official location information, do not expect to identify one grave among 34,000 plots simply by searching the grounds.
Three documented examples
The notable graves page demonstrates how references are used. Andreas Brehme and Hans Döllgast have specific grave references and real grave photographs, but no precise geographic position. Only Bernhard von Gudden’s named family grave has a map marker. Missing coordinates were not estimated from the PDF.
Record the result for later visits
Once you find the grave, keep its reference and note the entrance and useful landmarks on your route. A personal map pin can be a useful addition, but it does not replace the official grave reference.