All the guidebooks about Kliczkow mention the old cemetery for horses, probably the only one in Poland. Even in the 1950’s a few dozen tombstones stood here, today only two remain – apparently the rest were used to build the surrounding houses. The surviving tombstones are already badly damaged but on one the inscription is still visible with the name of the horse and the date of his death, June 1938. Underneath are carved four names, Johann, Fredrich, Georg and Hermann – no one knows what they mean.

Years ago also the favourite dogs of the castle owners were buried here. The cemetery for horses and dogs came about during the reconstruction of the park surrounding the castle. The park was commissioned by Count Fredrich zu Solms-Baruth and built by Edward Petzold. He designed the park in the English style with an ancestral mausoleum and a cemetery for the Prince’s favourite horses and hunting dogs.

As mentioned earlier, only two historic gravestones have survived. Recently the Pro Culturae Bono Foundation became involved with the unveiling of a third tombstone, dedicated to the mare Zacateca. It stood between the two older stones. The Foundation has also taken on the revitalisation of the park from the 19th century that surrounds Kliczkow Castle.

Kliczkow Castle (woj. Dolnoslaskie)

www.kliczkow.pl