Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Cemetery, Cultural heritage cemetery in Westend, Berlin, Germany

The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Cemetery is a burial ground in Westend with substantial green spaces and well-maintained paths. Numerous gravestones sit arranged throughout the grounds, and a small Romanesque chapel stands on the property.

The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial congregation formed in 1896 as Berlin's western population grew, and the Luisen parish gave it a 4.7-hectare site beside Luisenfriedhof III. The cemetery was consecrated with its first burial on 25 July 1896. A chapel by city building officer Otto Hetzel, in Romanesque forms with Jugendstil lettering, was dedicated on 27 September 1903; damaged in World War II, it was rebuilt in 1952/1953 and renovated in 1978.

This cemetery is named after Kaiser Wilhelm I and reflects the Lutheran traditions of West Berlin's community. You will notice graves of notable artists and cultural figures scattered throughout, showing how important this place became to the city.

The grounds are easy to navigate thanks to paved pathways and open spaces. A connecting path links this cemetery to the adjacent Luisenfriedhof III if you want to explore the wider area.

John Rabe (1882–1950), the Siemens Shanghai manager who chaired the Nanking Safety Zone committee in 1937–38, is buried here; his grave is listed among Berlin's honorary graves. The cemetery also holds Henny Porten, silent-film star, and Gerda von Zobeltitz, one of the first recognized transgender people of the late Empire.