The Russian Cemetery in Allinge

The ending of the Second World War was a bit different for Bornholm. While the rest of Denmark was celebrating the liberation of the country from 5 years of German occupation in the evening of May 4 and on May 5, 1945 – Bornholm waited for the British liberation troops.

Unfortunately they never came. On the contrary: Soviet Russian planes throw leaflets over Bornholm, ordering the German Commander on Bornholm, Gerhard von Kamptz, to resurrect to the Russian troops. Which he refused to do.

Therefore, Russian air troops bombed the cities of Rønne and Nexø on May 7 and 8, and occupied the island on May 9, 1945. Until April 5,1946 up to 800 Soviet Russian soldiers occupied Bornholm – and the approximately 30 graves that are on the Cemetery in Allinge are for those soldiers, that died during their time on the island between 1945 and 1946.

Every year on April 8, Russian representatives visit the Cemetery and lay down flower wreaths in a ceremony to remember the soldiers.