District collectorate takes note of long-forgotten German tombs, removes encroachments

Classified as monuments of national importance by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), these tombs had remained in a state of disrepair for years, with rampant encroachments threatening to obliterate them.

Recently, the encroachments around the tombs were removed by the district collectorate, thanks to a decision taken by the Pune city Tehshildar Geeta Dalvi, who decided to remove encroachments from all government land in the city.

The German tombs on Church Road, the French tombs near the National War Memorial in Camp, and the old Jewish tombs beside the Mudhera Nala in Camp are collectively identified as the European tombs.

Along with the Pataleshwar Caves, Shaniwarwada and the Aga Khan Palace, the old European tombs in the city have made it to the list of ASI’s list of National Monuments from Pune several decades ago.

These tombs had been mentioned in the Gazette of India, 1886. According to the gazette, the French tombs existed before 1817, while the German tombs date back to the 1850s. The French tombs are said to be the final resting place of the foreign soldiers of Peshwa’s army, but not much is known about the German soldiers.

Despite their historical importance, the tombs have been subjected to much neglect for many years.

The areas around the German tombs, in particular, saw considerable encroachment, with the traffic police even using the small plot of land to keep barricades. Other than the brick and mortar tombs, the plot also houses a domed structure supported by pillars.

The encroachments were removed and the plot was barricaded as part of an ongoing effort to keep government land encroachment-free, said Dalvi.

When queried if the government had any plans to beautify the monument, she said, “Development of government land is undertaken by the district collectorate after following the due process of law,” she said.