Cross on the Totenweg

The dead from Hinzerath used to be buried in bishop drones, which gave the funeral procession its creepy name.

Cross on the "Way of the Dead"
How long this cross has stood here and for what reason it was erected can no longer be determined today.
The path, which has been part of the "LandZeitTour" dream loop for several years, is still known today as the "path of the dead".
For many centuries, up until about 1835, the deceased from Hinzerath were buried in the bishop's chronicle at the parish church, because Hinzerath belonged to the parish there.
The coffins were transported along this path to Bischofsdhron on farm wagons or death wagons, drawn by teams of cows or horses.
An arduous and long way, on which it was quite possible for incidents to occur.
A possible explanation for the location of the cross is that there was an accident during the transport of the corpse.
Another story says that there was a fatal accident at work in the nearby small quarry (about 100 m to the west).
But perhaps the cross was erected a long time ago as a memorial on the so-called "Way of the Dead".
June 2019
Heimatverein Hinzerath e.V.
(text - information board)

In the middle of the hiking trail I am reminded of the end of my own path ...
"Lord, teach us to remember that we must die that we may become wise" (Psalm 90:12; The Bible)