Pestkyrkogården

When the plague ravaged Karlshamn, a special burial ground was established.

An epidemic hit Karlshamn during the late autumn of 1710 and the year 1711. It was the plague and it came to mainly southern Sweden with soldiers and sailors from the Baltic provinces occupied by the Russians.

Here in Karlshamn, the story is sometimes told that on one occasion a ship drifted into the harbour. No one was alive on board. A man plucked up courage and rowed out to the ship and got on board. He stole a wader coat and didn't notice that he also brought the plague in to the town of Karlshamn.

The disease spread quickly and the terror was great. It is estimated that the plague killed about half of Karlshamn's population, who were about 2000 inhabitants. Of these, 900-1000 died in the plague.