Because many of the early colonists in central Texas were Germans, it's not unusual to find old cemeteries here with tombstone inscriptions in German. So it is for the cemetery at the Christ Lutheran Church of Elm Creek southeast of New Berlin, which we visited (for I think at least the third time in the past decade) on March 25th, as you saw last time. Here are four of those German-language tombstones, along with translations. (If any of you German speakers catch mistakes in the translations, please let me know.) While the wildflowers surrounding the graves need no translation, I'll add that the reddish-orange ones are Indian paintbrushes (Castilleja indivisa) and the yellow are Nueces coreopsis (Coreopsis nuecensis).
Here rests in God
Emilie Lippke
Née Koehler
Born 27 September 1853
In Falkenburg, Pomerania
Died 18 January 1889
In Wilson
Softly rests her [soul]
[The ending is effaced.]
Here rests in peace
Edward Lenz
Born
Aug. 5, 1839
Died
Dec. 17, 1929
People's death is only a sleep.
He gives rest to the weary,
Relieves the burden of those who suffer,
Brings them to eternal peace.
Weep not that this is a farewell:
The dead will arise.
Here rests in peace
The son of H.W.M.
Rosebrock
Born and died
The 27th of October 1900.
Here rests in peace
Mother
Anna Bargfrede
Née Holtermann
Born 26 October 1861
Died 14 June 1932
Farewell, sweet Mother
Farewell for all time
When we find each other again
It will be for eternity.
Psalms 4.9.
© 2023 Steven Schwartzman
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