The progress of the ongoing restoration of the Grand Ducal Crypt in the Church of St John in Mirow was discussed in a meeting there today. The date also marked the 99th anniversary of the death of Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich VI with a small memorial service held by his grave on the Lovers Island.
The Church of St John was destroyed at the end of the Second World War in 1945, with the crypt and remains of the members of the Grand Ducal Family being desecrated and looted in post war riots. In December 2015 the sum of 900,000 Euros was raised for restoration work to take place.
Dr Rajko Lippert, Chairman of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz Cultural Heritage Society and spokesperson for the Grand Ducal Family, was joined at the meeting by local and federal politicians, experts, including Dr Andreas and Dr Regina Ströbl of the Crypt Research Centre who are responsible for the restoration of the coffins and their assignment to the deceased, and representatives from the Church.
At the meeting it was reported that remains had been found for 40 people and so far 34 have been identified with the majority of the restoration work expected to finish by the end of 2017. It was further announced that they crypt will resume use as a place of burial for members of the Grand Ducal Family. The late Duke Georg Alexander is currently the last member of the family to have been laid to rest there.