The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-04-10
SHORTTENANCY
OF GRAVES IN
OLD BERLIN
EVEN THE GRAVES OF CHILDREN
ARE ALLOWED TO BE OCCUPIED
FOR TWELVE YEARs-PoLEss
ENTER PROTEST AGAINST
TREATMENT BY A GERMAN
CHURCH.

Berlin. April statistics show that
the average grave in Berlin is cared
for by loving relatives for less than ten
years; consequently the term of occu
pancy by the departed has been re-
duced In Wilmersdorf from thirty to
twenty years. Thus is provision made
TO meet the increasing demand on
cemetery space in large and growing
city, and leeway of eight years still
allowed for the protection of the feel
ings of those who remain behind. This
applies to adults. The same ruthless
statistics show that the graves of chill
dren are looked after for a lesser
period. and consequently they mray be
occupied for twelve years only.
One Of the largest graveyards of
Berlin is located at Wilmersdorf. The
twenty and twelve year periods Of
tenancy already prevail in the Berlin
being leveIed off, any memorials re-
moved, and the graves made ready for
other occupants.
The authorities declare that unless
some such course as this is followed,
all the land in Berlin available for
burial purposes would be exhausted in
tw elve years. The tardy authorization
by parliament last year of crema ton
may check the demand for cemetery
space, but probably not to any great
extent.
Enter Vigorous Protests.
The Poles of Williamsburg, near
Hamburg, have declared a boycott
against the church. following the
failure of the church authorities to
heed a petition for the installation of
a Polish instead of a German pastor.
They assert that they will not at
tend nor contribute money to the
church, and that they will celebrate
NO weddings or baptisms so long as
the German pastor remains in charge.
IL one of them dies, he will not be
buried in the Lutheran cemetery. The
Poles have, up to the present time,
had a German pastor who spoke Polish,
but they now refuse longer to be salts
hed with this arrangement.
To Settle German Peasants.
The Prussian government proposes
to continue with energy its efforts to
buy out Polish landowners and settle
German peasants on their lands, and it
has asked the diet for another appro-
priation of nearly SIS, 900. 900 to con-
tinue this work. This is done in spite
OF the fact that since the German col
onization scheme was started twenty
six years ago, it has cost the govern
ment approximately $1,000 to settle
land, and that almost 5000, 900, 900 has
been expended on a project that has
shown returns of less than $50 00O 000
The report of the Polish settlement
committee for 1912 sets forth that 55,-
SIT acres of land were acquired during
the year at an average price of $13a
an acre. During the year twenty six
new villages were established, in which
SCI families found homes.
A total of 123, 55S German settlers
have been transferred to acquired
Polish lands since 1888
A Small Pecuiation.
The fame Of the Captain of Roper
nick, and the success of his daring
undertakings has brought this brazen
adventurer many inlitators. The latest
turned up at Soterhausen, a village In
Prussian Saxony. where the municipal
treasury was robbed last week of 500
by a civilian Captain of Kopernick."
who played upon the inbred respect of
the average German for authority.
A we'll dressed man entered the town
tax collectors office. introduced himself
as Governmental Assessor Won Bohlen
and Halbach.'' and informed the off,