Ceremony honors POWs who died in Utah, far from home

Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a fighter pilot in the postwar German Air Force and second counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency, speaks during the ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance, Sunday November 17, 2013. Nine German soldiers buried in a southeast section of the Fort Douglas Cemetery were honored, along with about 20 other German soldiers buried there from World War I.

Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune
The headstone of Karl Schaefer,one of the nine German soldiers buried in a southeast section of the Fort Douglas Cemetery. They were honored along with about 20 other German soldiers buried there from World War , during the ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance, Sunday November 17, 2013.

Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, center, of the LDS Church's First Presidency, along with Col. Sanford Atrman, left, and Honorary German Consul Charles W. Dahlquist, right, salute during the ceremony at Fort Douglas Cemetery on the German Day of Remembrance, Sunday November 17, 2013.

Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the LDS Church's First Presidency and his wife, Harriet, along with Honorary Consul Charles W. Dahlquist, left, and Col. Sanford Atrman, right, visit the graves of nine German soldiers in a southeast section of the Fort Douglas Cemetery on Sunday. The soldiers, along with others from WW I and some Italian and Japanese soldiers from WWII, were honored during the ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance, Sunday November 17, 2013.

Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune
Some of the headstones of the nine German soldiers who are buried in a southeast section of the Fort Douglas Cemetery were honored, along with about 20 other German soldiers buried there from World War I. Also honored were one Japanese soldier and a number of Italian soldiers who served in World War II. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a fighter pilot in the postwar German Air Force and second counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency, spoke during the ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance, Sunday November 17, 2013.

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Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a fighter pilot in the postwar German Air Force and second counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency, speaks during the ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance, Sunday November 17, 2013. Nine German soldiers buried in a southeast section of the Fort Douglas Cemetery were honored, along with about 20 other German soldiers buried there from World War I. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune The headstone of Karl Schaefer,one of the nine German soldiers buried in a southeast section of the Fort Douglas Cemetery. They were honored along with about 20 other German soldiers buried there from World War , during the ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance, Sunday November 17, 2013. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a fighter pilot in the postwar German Air Force and second counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency, and his wife, Harriet, left, attend ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance at Fort Douglas Cemetery, Sunday November 17, 2013. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a fighter pilot in the postwar German Air Force and second counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency, listens during the ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance, Sunday November 17, 2013. Nine German soldiers buried in a southeast section of the Fort Douglas Cemetery were honored, along with about 20 other German soldiers buried there from World War I. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, center, of the LDS Church's First Presidency, along with Col. Sanford Atrman, left, and Honorary German Consul Charles W. Dahlquist, right, salute during the ceremony at Fort Douglas Cemetery on the German Day of Remembrance, Sunday November 17, 2013. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a fighter pilot in the postwar German Air Force and second counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency, salutes as a Boy Scout color guard brings in German and American flags during the ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance Sunday November 17, 2013. Nine German soldiers buried in a southeast section of the Fort Douglas Cemetery were honored, along with about 20 other German soldiers buried there from World War I. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a fighter pilot in the postwar German Air Force and second counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency, and his wife, Harrie,t visit the graves of nine German soldiers in a southeast section of the Fort Douglas Cemetery. The soldiers, along with others from WW I and some Italian, and Japanese soldiers from WW II, were honored during the ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance Sunda,y November 17, 2013. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the LDS Church's First Presidency and his wife, Harriet, along with Honorary Consul Charles W. Dahlquist, left, and Col. Sanford Atrman, right, visit the graves of nine German soldiers in a southeast section of the Fort Douglas Cemetery on Sunday. The soldiers, along with others from WW I and some Italian and Japanese soldiers from WWII, were honored during the ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance, Sunday November 17, 2013. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune Some of the headstones of the nine German soldiers who are buried in a southeast section of the Fort Douglas Cemetery were honored, along with about 20 other German soldiers buried there from World War I. Also honored were one Japanese soldier and a number of Italian soldiers who served in World War II. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a fighter pilot in the postwar German Air Force and second counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency, spoke during the ceremony on the German Day of Remembrance, Sunday November 17, 2013.

The Salt Lake Tribune

· November 18, 2013 10:19 am

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The 36th annual German Day of Remembrance on Sunday honored the memory of more than two dozen German POWs from World War I and II who died in Utah.

The event has been held in Utah each year since 1977.

About 20 WWI soldiers died of influenza. Nine WWII soldiers were killed by a guard.

Sunday's ceremony took place at Fort Douglas Cemetery, where all the German POWs are buried, and also honored a Japanese soldier and a number of Italian soldiers from WWII. Speakers included President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the LDS Church's First Presidency.