November 2002
Grave Doubts
For many people in Germany, the prospect of being buried in a municipal graveyard is very depressing. Not only are these cemeteries often very formal and uninviting, the cost of upkeep is high and in some cases becomes a financial burden for the family of the deceased. Now for the first time in southern Germany an attempt has been made to offer a more natural form of burial. Just beyond the Bavarian border with Hesse, near the historic town of Amorbach, lies the Friedwald (forest of peace). In this particular “graveyard” tombstones have been replaced by trees, each one available to be assigned either to a single person or a family. Then when a person dies their ashes are buried beneath the tree of their choice. Anyone interested can log on to
www.friedwald.de
or call (06151) 71 41 16.
