Summary
Civilian war memorial. Erected at an unknown date after the First World War.
Reasons for Designation
The memorial to German First World War Internees, in New Southgate Cemetery, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reason:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on a particular community, and as witness to one little-remembered aspect of the First World War, namely the internment of German civilians.
History
Over the course of the First World War German civilians – deemed to be enemy aliens, often with their English families - were interred at Alexandra Palace in a prison camp that was open from 1915-19. At any one time there were as many as 3,000 internees, and over the course of the war some 17,000 men had passed through the camp. Conditions were generally good, with facilities both for sport and entertainment.
Details
The memorial comprises a low stone screen wall with a shallow pediment to the top standing on a simple two-stepped base. Occupying most of the face of the memorial is a black metal plaque carrying in raised lettering the names of the 51 dead and their dates of death. On the upper step of the base is inscribed: HIER RUHEN IN GOTT DIE GENANNTEN/ 51 DEUTSCHEN MAENNER DIE WAEHREND/ DES WELTKRIEGES IN ZIVILGE/ FANGENSCHAFT GESTORBEN SIND [HERE REST IN GOD THESE 51 GERMAN MEN WHO DIED DURING THE WORLD WAR IN CIVILIAN IMPRISONMENT].
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