New History Centre unveiled at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery

A new History Centre exploring the stories of the German war dead buried in Britain was formally inaugurated by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery on 17 September 2026.

The event, hosted by the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge (VDK) brought together British and German representatives, young people, volunteers and those involved in delivering the project.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal attended at the invitation of the German Embassy and was joined by HE Susanne Baumann, German Ambassador to the United Kingdom; General (retired) Wolfgang Schneiderhan, President of VDK; and Vice Admiral Peter Hudson CB CBE, Vice-Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The visit began at the neighbouring CWGC Cannock Chase War Cemetery, where The Princess Royal as President of the CWGC laid a wreath at the Cross of Sacrifice. The cemetery contains 97 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, most of them New Zealanders, alongside 286 German First World War burials and three burials from the Second World War.

The Royal party then proceeded to the Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery, where The Princess Royal visited the new History Centre and heard reflections from former British and German youth-camp participants.

The bilingual permanent exhibition explains why German war dead are buried in Britain and shares some of their individual stories. It also explores the cemetery’s landscape, architecture and art, creating an important educational resource for schools, young people and future visitors.

A commemorative ceremony was held at the cemetery’s High Cross, followed by meetings with the project and horticultural teams, British and German service personnel, young people and local volunteers. The Princess Royal concluded her visit by unveiling a memorial plaque at the History Centre.

Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery was opened in 1967 following a 1959 agreement between the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany. It contains almost 5,000 German and Austrian war dead from the two world wars and has been cared for by CWGC on behalf of Germany ever since.

The refurbishment was funded by the VDK and delivered in Britain with support from CWGC, working alongside BHB Architects, Greenwood Projects and Cooper-Whyte Conservation. The project transformed the former Head Gardener’s cottage into a modern exhibition and learning space while respecting the significance of the Grade I registered cemetery landscape.

The project was also an important expression of CWGC’s wider Agency Services work. Through an arrangement with the Federal Republic of Germany, CWGC teams maintain more than 19,500 German war graves across over 20 countries, with oversight and historical expertise provided by VDK.

This work includes horticultural maintenance, structural conservation, research and the sensitive identification and care of graves which have become unmaintained or difficult to locate. It also supports ceremonies, education and public engagement, helping communities understand the people and histories behind the graves.

The partnership had recently been demonstrated at Hawkcombe Cemetery in Porlock, Somerset. There, the CWGC and VDK installed a permanent headstone for Wilhelm Reuhl, a 20-year-old German airman who died in 1940. His grave has been cared for by local people for over 85 years, remaining in Porlock at his family’s request. His rededication became the first ceremony connected with a wider joint project investigating more than 300 German graves across the United Kingdom.

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