The burial ground was used by the St. Catherine's parish since the mid-18th century. A small part of the total area in the southeast served until the 20th century as a military cemetery what was first mentioned as burial place for "military personnel" in 1753. The number of burials were reduced in St. Catherine's cemetery since the opening of the central cemetery at the Helmstedt Road.
The largest part of the area was used after the Second World War for university buildings. With the construction of the university canteen in the western half of the cemetery grounds the remaining area of the cemetery was converted into a park. The restoration of the cemetery in 2011 gave back its original character and the dignity of the place.
In this restoration, which was carried out with the funds of a foundation of a Brunswick businessman, was entirely overlooked that in the cemetery not only soldiers rest but also deserters who were executed in the Buchhorst, resistance fighters and Russian prisoners of war. The inscription of the gravestones of the executed Soldiers and probably resistance fighters only says "Unknown Soldier". All documents about these soldiers were destroyed by the Nazis before the Russian army conquered Berlin. That is also the reason why nobody has information how much people and who were executed in the Buchhorst or buried in the Garrison Cemetery.