{"id":143446,"date":"2021-08-27T17:23:58","date_gmt":"2021-08-27T15:23:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/aalten-achteruit\/berkenhove-cemetery\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T18:36:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T16:36:54","slug":"berkenhove-cemetery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/area\/cemeteries\/berkenhove-cemetery\/","title":{"rendered":"Berkenhove Cemetery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Romienendiek 2a, Aalten<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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\"Berkenhove\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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At the beginning of the 20th century, the Old Cemetery<\/a> on the Varsseveldsestraatweg became increasingly enclosed by the expanding development of the village of Aalten. This made the establishment of a new general cemetery necessary. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1920, the municipality purchased the Oosterman<\/a> farm near \u2019t Walfort with the intention of creating a new general cemetery there. This plan ultimately did not proceed. Instead, a suitable site was found on the Romienendiek, where the ‘Berkenhove’ cemetery was brought into use in 1923. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original section of Berkenhove is enclosed between Romienendiek, Barloseweg, and Koningsweg. Over the years, the cemetery has been expanded regularly. In 1960, a Catholic section was added because the Roman Catholic cemetery on Piet Heinstraat<\/a> had reached capacity. The new Roman Catholic cemetery was consecrated by Father Kerkhofs<\/a>. The priest himself found his final resting place there in 1964. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The oldest part of Berkenhove features an orthogonal layout, with rows of graves along a central path, surrounded by a rich variety of trees and shrubs. The cemetery was later extended to the northern side of the Koningsweg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funeral Centre and Crematorium<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Located at Berkenhove is a modern funeral centre and crematorium, managed by GUV. In 2015, a scattering field called \u2018De Akker\u2019 (The Field) was established adjacent to the cemetery, providing space for the scattering of ashes, urn graves, and a columbarium wall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

War Victims<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A lasting memorial to their sacrifice for our regained freedom are the 18 uniform headstones in this cemetery. These mark the graves of five British airmen who crashed in IJzerlo<\/a> and 12 British soldiers from the ground forces who fell during the liberation of Aalten<\/a> in April 1945. Alongside the graves of the British war victims lies the grave of resistance fighter Cornelis (Kees) Ruizendaal<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, dozens of other graves of war victims can be found at Berkenhove. Many of these graves are marked as such. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Features<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Cadastral no.<\/td>L-1938\/O-45<\/td><\/tr>
Function<\/td>Cemetery<\/td><\/tr>
Listed<\/td><\/a>Municipal monument<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Sources<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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