In the small village (Dorf) Elsoff, there are multiple cemeteries and burial locations:
1) KIRCHHOF ELSOFF (in der Kirchstraße): This historical 'prior to 1885' site is now considered "defunct", but you may continue to add memorials for persons who died in Elsoff before this date. There are two burial locations on the property, please note them as appropriate in the "plot" field -
1a) ALTER KIRCHHOF: The church property is the site of historical burials and includes mass graves from periods of plagues. Generally speaking, there are no headstones remaining.
1b) GRABLEGE IM CHOR DER ELSOFFER KIRCHE: Buried within the church choir itself are persons important to the history of the church. There are plaques.
2) FRIEDHOF ELSOFF (in der Kirchstraße): This is the active cemetery in Elsoff that opened in 1885 and contains burials from this date onward. [NOTE: This site also has comprehensive links to other cemeteries within the environs of Bad Berleburg.]
3) JÜDISCHER FRIEDHOF ELSOFF (unterm Heiligenberg): This is a site of historical burials for the Jewish citizens of Elsoff.

is located in the Rothaargebirge (loosely translated to "the cleared forest mountain range to graze cattle") between Westphalia, Sauerland (north), Upland (northeast), Wittgenstein (southeast) Siegerland (southwest) and Hesse (south).

Elsoff, Schwarzenau, Beddelhausen, and Alertshausen's founding as a center of living took place in the late 900's and early 1000's. In 1059, the Vogtei Elsoff – diocese of Elsoff – was formed composed of Elsoff, Beddelhausen, Alertshausen and Schwarzenau; Christianseck was founded in 1708. The Kirche Elsoff commands a small hill and is most impressive. Due to the 1059 Vogtei, the landmark of Elsoff, its church, was consecrated in that year. The steeple was first built in 1158. In 1824-1828 the church was closed to strengthen its weakening structure and the steeple was rebuilt in 1868. The church size was "90 feet by 40 feet" (the choir section was added later) and it was located on the hill of the old graveyard, southwest of the village. During the 1626 plague, 122 residents died within six weeks; there were so many deaths that a mass grave was required. This naturally resulted in the elimination of all previous graves and no gravestones for those buried in this mass grave. A secondary result of the mass grave was that the land rose correspondingly above its previous level, one lower than that of the church.

German surnames may be located per telephone listings (translated as "").

Address: D-57319 Bad Berleburg-Elsoff, Kirchstraße

Maintained by: hgirdley (#47299401)