This monumental sacrarium, in which more than 31000 German soldiers rest, is meant to representa real lesson of peace and humanity.
Here, infact, there’s absolutly no room for any kind of war pride, or easy rethorics, while it should be visited withgreat respect and observe it as a warning for the future, to stayaway from the mistakes of the past.
During the years immediatelyfollowing the II World War the 110000 German fallen in the Italian Campaign had been buried in the municipal cemeteries closest to the battle sites and almost always with temporary sepultures. Since December 1955 Germany has obtained from theAllies the authorization to erect Memorial Monuments, in honour of the fallen.
To welcome the restsof the Germanic fallen on the Gothic Line was chosen the Futa Pass.This because in this place for many months was settled the German difensive line, and also because here were fought the bloodiest, roughest battles, the ones with the greatest number of losses.In the months after the agreement, was started the creation of the German military graveyard, also known as Futapass. The inauguration took place June 28 1969 and in that period in the cemetery rested 30665 fallen, while today, as many discoveries have been made, oftencasually, the number has rosen to 31229. Thus, it’s necessary to remind that this graveyard is the greatest Germanic sacrarium in Italy for number of bodies.
The project was given to the architect Oesterlein, whohad to interpretate in the shape the saying: ”The war tombs incite to peace, anyonewho wants to collaborate to the diffusion of the ideas ofpeace is welcome”.
The entrance of the cemetery is marked by a narrow passage. There is no monumental result but great structural modesty.
On the right immediately there is a stony wallwhich goes upwards for about two thousands meter in length making a spiral and surrounding the whole hill. This wall ends in a vertical triangle a dozen meter high, like a sail, risen towards the sky.
Some people say that this architectonic feature symbolizes the wing of an eagle, which is the symbol, for excellence, of the German army.

All the article about the Military Graveyard Futapass was written by Maurizio Valentini on the brochure called “Due passi nella storia “(Two steps in the history), created by the Piano Documentation Center and patronized by the Group of Studies Savena Setta Sumbro.