Brazil
Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
French Guiana
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
Germany
Austria
Croatia
Denmark
Spain
Finland
France
Greece
the Netherlands
Hungary
Ireland
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Norway
Poland
Portugal
the United Kingdom
the Czech Republic
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
the United States
Mexico
the Dominican Republic
South Africa
Australia
Fiji
Military cemetery · Diksmuide, West Flanders
Vladslo German War Cemetery (Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Vladslo)
German military cemetery in the countryside near Vladslo, with more than 25,000 soldiers and the statues of the Grieving Parents by Käthe Kollwitz, made in memory of her son.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Vladslo German War Cemetery (Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Vladslo)
The cemetery is in a wood, in the countryside northeast of the village of Vladslo, which belongs to the municipality of Diksmuide. It began during the war with 3,233 burials. In 1956 it received the dead from several smaller German cemeteries in the area and came to contain 25,644 soldiers.
The names are on flat stone plates set in the grass, each bearing the names of several soldiers. The cemetery is maintained by the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge, the German war graves commission.
At the back, kneeling, are the two statues of the Grieving Parents by the German artist Käthe Kollwitz. She made them in the 1930s in memory of her youngest son, Peter, who was killed in October 1914 and is buried there. The figures face the graves.
In 2023, Vladslo was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, together with the allied cemeteries in the region.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
30 to 45 minutes.
Best time
Any time of year. From April to October the woods are green and the afternoon light falls on the statues; in winter, from December to February, the field is damp.
How to get there
It is on Houtlandstraat, in the countryside northeast of Diksmuide. Access is by car or by bicycle, with parking at the entrance.
Tip
Combine it with the IJzertoren and the Dodengang on the same day. The contrast between the German cemetery and the Commonwealth cemeteries helps to understand the two memories of the war.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Vladslo German War Cemetery (Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Vladslo)
Who made the statues?
The German artist Käthe Kollwitz, in the 1930s. Her son, Peter, who was killed in October 1914, is buried in the cemetery.
Why are the graves flat plaques on the ground?
It is the pattern of the German cemeteries in the region: flat stone plates laid in the ground with the names of several soldiers on each, instead of individual upright headstones.
Is Vladslo part of Diksmuide?
Yes. Vladslo is one of the villages in the municipality of Diksmuide, and the cemetery is in the countryside to its northeast.