About the most beautiful cemetery
How did a tailor arrange the most beautiful cemetery in this part of Europe?
Herman Haller was the manager of the city cemetery from 1905 to 1946. Besides being responsible for the unique appearance of the most beautiful Croatian cemetery, this versatile man also had an interesting and unusual fate.
He was born in Varaždin on March 28, 1875. His father was innkeeper Josip Matušina, a cemetery supervisor. Thus, Herman was well acquainted with the Varaždin cemetery from an early age. As said, Herman was not born a Haller. Namely, he got his new surname from his adoptive father, Stjepan Haller. Stonemason Stjepan Haller was also involved in the activities of the Varaždin cemetery. He created sculptures there and took care of the cemetery. He adopted little Herman and gave him his last name.
After completing his training as a tailor, Herman Haller traveled through Europe, visited parks and was delighted with European park architecture. When in 1905, succeeding Stjepan Haller, he became the manager of the Varaždin Cemetery, Herman Haller decided to arrange the cemetery as a park area. He bought the first 70 thuja trees that mark this cemetery in Graz by pledging his salary. He even brought cypress seedlings from Vienna's imperial estate Schönbrunn to plant in the cemetery! For years, he shaped avenues of thuja trees next to grave sites, planted trees, created floral decorations, arranged paths and took care of erecting grave monuments.
Herman shaped the cemetery according to his plan. He was the most important person for its arrangement and the obtained international recognition. The most interesting thing is that Herman arranged the cemetery so well, even though he was a tailor by profession.
His father Josip Matušin, the first director of the city cemetery, rests in the same tomb with him.
