Der Stadt Friedhof, established in 1846, has restoration efforts underway as part of its Master Plan. The board has planned for construction of a columbarium and open-air chapel, in addition to road paving to divert rainwater. “Our goal is to preserve yesterday for tomorrow,” Susan Stroeher of the Der Stadt Friedhof board said. Der Stadt Friedhof (Der Stadt Friedhof in German means The City Cemetery) became a Historic Texas Cemetery …
Graves at the front entrance of Der Stadt Friedhof Cemetery, Saturday, May 8, 2021, in Fredericksburg, Texas. Kiana Burks
With a heavy desire to discover the Black history of Fredericksburg, Texas, Dr. Paul Phillips III has partnered with Texas State s Department of Anthropology to possibly find unmarked graves at Der Stadt Friedhof Cemetery.
Phillips III, a Texas State alumnus, has a family history dating back to the early 1860s and seeks to discover more about those who came before him. His interest in partnering with the university began in 2019 after a conversation about the university s anthropology department with Texas State Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Gene Bourgeois.