The German consul from St. Louis visited the cemetery on December 3, 1934, visited the World War I German graves and started plans for a monument to them. The U.S. Quartermaster General at the time, Major General L.H. Bash, approved the plans on March 21, 1935. The monument would be erected in the middle of the 76 German graves.
The granite monument was standing by May 5, 1935.
It is a simple memorial with the names of the Germans buried there etched on the sides, along with 14 others not buried there. Then, a message in German: "During the war years did here far from home, and Germany will ever remember you."
It stood there as Hitler and the Nazis started all of their horrific things.
On March 13, 1939, Nazi German diplomats made a surprise visit to Chattanooga to dedicate the monument. About 20 people were at the ceremony and a wreath was laid.
The monument then stood throughout World War II and in 1944, the cemetery was transferred to the War Department and in 1973, ownership was once again transferred, this time to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National cemetery Administration.
--GreGen
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