The Sowjetisches Ehrenmal Schöneiche is one of the farthest and most difficult Soviet War memorial in Berlin to get to. Schöneiche bei Berlin as its name suggests is not actually in Berlin, but next to it. Sort of. The grounds that the Soviet War Memorial stands on belongs to both Schöneiche bei Berlin and Berlin.
239 Soviet soldiers died in battles around Schöneiche bei Berlin, Kagel and the surrounding areas in the last days of the War. The Sowjetisches Ehrenmal Schöneiche came to be after the architect Alfred Werner submitted plans for a memorial in 1947. In November 1947, the company “König und Eickenrodt” landscaped the memorial.
The Sowjetisches Ehrenmal Schöneiche is unique in the sense that despite being located in Berlin, a separate municipality takes care of its upkeep. Unlike its counterparts in Rummelsburg, Hohenschönhausen, Kaulsdorf, Herzbergstraße, Buch and Staaken – it seems like the buried soldiers weren’t exhumed and laid to rest when any of the big 3 Memorials (Tiergarten, Schönholzer Heide, Treptower Park) were constructed – at least none of the sources I can find seem to point to this.
The Soviet War Memorial Schöneiche consists of the obligatory obelisk topped with an encircled red star. The bases of the memorial are covered with 4 plaques. The main plaque bears the Russian inscription:
ВЕЧНАЯ СЛАВА ГЕРОЯМ ПАВШИМ В БОРЬБЕ ЗА СВОБОДУ И НЕЗАВИСИМОСТЬ СОВЕТСКОЙ РОДИНЫ
Which translates into English:
Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in the fight for the freedom and independence of the Soviet homeland.
The other 3 plaques bare the names of the fallen soldiers that could be identified.
It’s a quaint little memorial. The community visibly takes care of it – the small lawn being accurately trimmed and the paint on the memorial rings fresh. It’s probably not worth venturing out to the edge of Berlin just to see this memorial – but if by off chance you’re in the area, it’s worth stopping by for.
The Sowjetisches Ehrenmal Schöneiche is one of 12 Soviet War Memorials of Berlin. You can find an overview post here – The Soviet War Memorials of Berlin – with a condensed history of all Soviet War Memorials in Berlin, or you can click through the list below and read about each Soviet War Memorial individually.