Extra stairs - Canadian Cemetery

If you have ever visited the Canadian Cemetery in Holten, they may have struck you: the moss-covered steps behind the Cross of Sacrifice. They connect two levels, but seem to be leading nowhere. What’s the story behind these “extra”stairs?

The gardeners of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) are in charge of the landscaping of the cemetery, and they know the story behind these steps. They are leading nowhere now, but when you take a closer look you may still see the foundation of the original cross. That cross is now situated in the middle of the cemetery, after having been moved twice. It first stood at the top of the old stairs, so that’s where they were leading.

Positioning

The reason why the cross was first placed in that spot is that the cemetery was meant to be much larger. The construction of the cemetery started towards the end of the war.The plan assumed a higher mortality rate, based on the number of deaths in World War One. The war ended right after the construction of the cemetery, so there were fewer graves, and the scale of the cemetery could be downsized.

Historical value

As a result the steps are of no use today, at least not on the cemetery. They are of historical value, of course, and they are registered as such in the archives of the CWGC. The stairs must remain in place and intact, because of their importance for the story behind the cemetery. The old steps are preserved and protected, also from the new mountainbike tracks on the Holterberg.