I’m starting to name these posts as if they’re Danny Orlis capers. But no wonder! Look at THIS.
When Andrew and I visited Chortitz/Randolph the other day, we encountered an older gentleman caretaker of the cemetery and had a great, if somewhat strange and amazing, conversation with him. After he’d left, we looked at each other and Andrew remarked, “hey, remember there were those graves that were accidentally dug up somewhere on the East Reserve? Weren’t they reburied here?”
Yes! I couldn’t believe we’d never thought to find that site just yet. We set about searching for it. I had the trusty Historical Atlas of the East Reserve in my hands, found the page with the picture of the reburial ceremony, and used that picture to locate the spot.
Dr. Glen Klassen had written a fascinating article for the Plett Foundation about his adventures in finding lost cemeteries. In that article, he tells the tale of how these bodies were accidentally discovered in what was once the village of Schoenfeld, and reflects on the reburial ceremony that occurred here on this spot for these unknown people. Below is the accompanying write-up you will read if you visit the site yourself. It doesn’t mention this, but Glen does — this was one adult and two children. His article includes a touching photograph of the re-interment service, picturing one larger adult coffin next to two smaller child-size coffins.
