Hamminkeln-Dingden-Gemeindefriedhof

77 war dead of the Second World War rest here: 73 German soldiers and 4 Dutchmen. After consolidating the Allied bridgehead between Rees and Wesel, the Western Allies began their advance into the Münsterland and the formation of the Ruhr Basin on March 26, 1945. On March 27, the 53rd Welsh Division advanced via Dingden in the direction of Bocholt. The initially weak German resistance intensified in the Lankern area. Between the Kleine Issel and the brickworks, men of the Volkssturm, Panzergrenadiers and paratroopers tried in vain to stop the advance on Bocholt. After the end of the fighting in the Dingden area, the German casualties lay in the fields, in abandoned positions or in front gardens. They were usually buried on the spot a few days later. Some war dead were repatriated by their relatives shortly after the end of the war. 70 graves remained in the municipality of Dingden. There were 20 dead German soldiers in the municipal cemetery, most of whom had died in Dingden beforehand as a result of air raids or accidents. Next to the Berg school, 17 German soldiers were buried who had died at the 84th Infantry Division's main dressing station, which was set up at the school. There were 13 field graves with German soldiers in Berg and Nordbrock, 19 in Lankern and 1 in Dorfbauerschaft. In many places, including Dingden, the question of a dignified resting place for the war dead arose. Shortly before the start of the Second World War, the municipality had extended the municipal cemetery. According to the plans of the Bocholt cemetery inspector Reichl, a memorial for Dingden's fallen was created directly behind the entrance gate of the cemetery in the early years of the war. The intention was to repatriate all Dingden citizens who had fallen on the battlefields of Europe and bury them here in the memorial. This did not happen. Initially, it was decided to create a cemetery of honor behind the memorial for the fallen of the First World War. In November 1946, the municipality asked the German War Graves Commission for help. By March 1947, 45 fallen soldiers had been buried there. During this time, it was realized that using the existing facility at the municipal cemetery would be a much lower financial burden. Thus, arrangements were made to prepare the cemetery's cemetery of honor. The Flüren entrepreneur Carl Klaus was responsible for the transfers. The grounds were designed by Mr. Reichl and, on behalf of the Volksbund, by garden director Trapp, Düsseldorf. Many citizens of Dingden helped with the construction of the memorial. The initially erected oak crosses were replaced by weatherproof stone crosses in the early 1960s. Many Allied soldiers fell in the battles for Dingden, the exact number is not available. There is evidence that 20 British and 1 Canadian were buried in the cemetery. There was also a field grave in Nordbrock. A Briton who landed with a cargo glider and died in the fighting was buried there. The British Commonwealth War Graves Commission later buried these fallen soldiers and transferred them to the British military cemetery in Reichswald or back home. Foreign workers who died were also buried in Dingden: 2 Frenchmen, 2 Belgians, 1 Italian and 1 Russian. They were later disinterred and repatriated or buried in another cemetery. Today, 4 Dutchmen still rest in a common grave on the grounds of the cemetery: the married couple Maria and Wilhelmus Robertus Geerlings and their son Wilhelmus Leonardus as well as Petronella Leyendeckers. They died in the early hours of February 3, 1945 during a low-flying attack on a train carrying over 1,000 evacuees from Roermond. One of the attacking planes crashed in Lankern and the pilot was killed. After the completion of the memorial complex, 3 German casualties were laid to rest there, who were repatriated at the request of their relatives.