Deutsch-Amerikanischer Club Kaiserslautern - Über uns
Deutsch-Amerikanischer Club Kaiserslautern - Über uns

No child is forgotten: the Kindergrave Ceremony

It is terrible when a child passes away. For the parents, it is a nightmare. Therfore, it is very important to be able to mourn the loss of a beloved child.

American children who passed away at birth or shortly after birth between 1952 and 1971 were buried on the Central Cemetery in Kaiserslautern, close to the US Army Daenner Kaserne .

After the cemetery management informed our club in the 1980s about the graves’ expiration, we worked to ensure that they could continue to exist. The management gave permission for a private organization to partner directly with the military to take responsibility for the graves. The Ramstein Area Chief’s Group (US Air Force E-9’s) took on this role.

Thus, in 1986, the “Kaiserslautern Kindergraves Memorial Foundation” (KKMF) was founded. Their goal is to maintain the memorial site, organize the ceremony to remember the children, and serve as a liaison for families. Representatives of the Ramstein Area Chief’s Group and the German-American Club Kaiserslautern are co-chairs of the foundation.

American-German ceremony in Kaiserslautern

Every year on the Saturday after Mother’s Day, a memorial ceremony is held, sponsored by the KKMF in cooperation with the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC) and representatives of the city of Kaiserslautern. Floral wreaths are laid in front of the memorial site and a candle lighting ceremony is held. Flowers and an American flag are placed at each headstone. The Air Force Jr. ROTC Color Guard leads the procession to the grave site.

The maintenance of the graves is made possible by generous donations from the local community.