Hi Robert! Thirty years after my Father's death, my siblings in Switzerland were notified that within ca. 60 days his gravesite was up for "Re-use" (turnover). This is in Aarau, Kanton Aargau. They wanted to know what we wanted them to do with the gravestone.... as that is considered the property of the family. You have to also understand that, in general, bodies are not embalmed* in Switzerland and therefore the natural decaying process is unhindered (what a dreary subject). As to what happens to the remaining remains ... bones, I can only assume that they then are stored in a massgrave.** Yes, you find many gravestones lined up along the outer perimeters of cemetaries (I've seen this done here in USA also)..... which would be done according to the wishes of the living family, if there is any. I bet that each cemetary has their own policy as to which qualify and which don't. I assume it would have something to do with whether they are artistically desireable.? ------------ *) The Swiss attitude toward the literal "ashes to ashes.... dust to dust" is simple, sincere and deeply felt; and many look upon the American practices of embalming and trying to make the body look "as alive as possible" as disrespectful to God and the desceased..... as an aberrant deathcult...... the denial that death is real. **) Until around the 18th century churchyards in Switzerland typically had a "Beinhaus" ...... (bone house or ossuary), a sturdy onestory stone building, looking often like a tiny chapel, where these bones where neatly stored. The walls were solid, except for some narrow oblong openings at eyelevel where parishioners could peak in and be reminded of their own mortality......"repent now, for one day you will certainly end up in here.....looking just like this"! Some had inscriptions and exhortations written across the little windows with these sentiments. Toward the end of the 18th century most of these ossuaries were no longer used for this purpose, but many of these wellbuilt little stone buildings were cleaned up and used for other purposes, like storing grains, etc. Oh well, why not ;-) . Cheer up! Hanneli PS. Of course, all the above is from my experience and readings only. I'm certainly no expert. ----- Original Message ----- From: Robert Rothenbuhler <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 7:08 PM Subject: [SWITZ] Cemetery----Removal > Hi List, > > > Isn't it true that in Switzerland, as well as other countries, the cemeteries only keep caskets buried for a limited period of time, then remove them and replace with new because of the limited space. My question is what do they do with the caskets and the tombstones after they are removed from the cemetery? > > Any comments would be appreciated. > > Thanks, > > Robert Rothenbuehler > > [email protected] > > > > > > ==== SWITZERLAND Mailing List ==== > Going on vacation? Gone longer than 4 days? Go to > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/CHE/SWITZERLAND.html > to unsubscribe >

Hello Hanneli and Robert! Would you mind if I add to Hanneli's comments? Tombstones are/ were often re-used not by Family members but my other people who could not afford to purchase a new tombstone and have it engraved. The result insome cases is that while the tombstone is considered private property even in France, without a renewal of the 25- 60 or 100 year convention with the mayor's office, your tombstones become city/ village property and is not disgarded. Rather, the tombstone is put to the side, perhaps another is made and replaces the first...and if it belongs to your Family, you can go down to the cemetery and bring it home. I believe that Hannel's comments go for some parts of Switzerland, because in the French speaking areas, I have never hear of Beinhauses (bone houses). Please remember once again, that while the Swiss are organized people, and very often times, austere people as it relates to certain functions of live including death, the difference of cultures have an an enormous impact on what was accepted and considered normal. My grandmother lived in the Great Apple ( New York City) and died there. She had asked to be buried with her husband in southern France. She was emballed ( is this the correct word in English????? sounds strange...) in the United States and transported to France in a plane ( my Uncle told us that his mother descended from the plane with the luggage and I am serious)....and it was necessary to "adjust" the coffin as the size of the tomb was not as large as was expected in the USA. Imagine having to change the size of the coffin and re-adjust the inherent Family member into another coffin without emballment! While this may sound macabre, it sounded perfectually normal to most people. Everything as you know is relative, Robert, as you have come to know, including death. Just one more detail....in my years of genealogical research, in searching cemeteries, I have often looked around them to see if a 25 ora 60 or a 100 year prescription had just expired-if this was so, I could then have a good chance to see a tomb which had just been deterred and take information off it. Sincerely yours, Jacques de Guise ----- Original Message ----- From: "guy grenny" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2002 6:56 PM Subject: Re: [SWITZ] Cemetery----Removal > Hi Robert! > Thirty years after my Father's death, my siblings in Switzerland were > notified that within ca. 60 days his gravesite was up for "Re-use" > (turnover). This is in Aarau, Kanton Aargau. > They wanted to know what we wanted them to do with the gravestone.... > as that is considered the property of the family. > You have to also understand that, in general, bodies are not > embalmed* in Switzerland and therefore the natural decaying process > is unhindered (what a dreary subject). > As to what happens to the remaining remains ... bones, I can only > assume that they then are stored in a massgrave.** > Yes, you find many gravestones lined up along the outer > perimeters of cemetaries (I've seen this done here in USA also)..... > which would be done according to the wishes of the living family, if > there is any. I bet that each cemetary has their own policy as to > which qualify and which don't. I assume it would have something to do > with whether they are artistically desireable.? > ------------ > *) The Swiss attitude toward the literal "ashes to ashes.... dust to > dust" is simple, sincere and deeply felt; and many look upon the > American practices of embalming and trying to make the body look "as > alive as possible" as disrespectful to God and the desceased..... as > an aberrant deathcult...... > the denial that death is real. > **) Until around the 18th century churchyards in Switzerland typically > had a "Beinhaus" ...... (bone house or ossuary), a sturdy onestory > stone building, looking often like a tiny chapel, where these bones > where neatly stored. The walls were solid, except for some narrow > oblong openings at eyelevel where parishioners could peak in and be > reminded of their own mortality......"repent now, for one day you will > certainly end up in here.....looking just like this"! Some had > inscriptions and exhortations written across the little windows with > these sentiments. > Toward the end of the 18th century most of these ossuaries were no > longer used for this purpose, but many of these wellbuilt little stone > buildings were cleaned up and used for other purposes, like storing > grains, etc. Oh well, why not ;-) . Cheer up! > > Hanneli > PS. Of course, all the above is from my experience and readings only. > I'm certainly no expert. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Robert Rothenbuhler <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 7:08 PM > Subject: [SWITZ] Cemetery----Removal > > > > Hi List, > > > > > > Isn't it true that in Switzerland, as well as other countries, the > cemeteries only keep caskets buried for a limited period of time, then > remove them and replace with new because of the limited space. My > question is what do they do with the caskets and the tombstones after > they are removed from the cemetery? > > > > Any comments would be appreciated. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Robert Rothenbuehler > > > > [email protected] > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== SWITZERLAND Mailing List ==== > > Going on vacation? Gone longer than 4 days? Go to > > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/CHE/SWITZERLAND.html > > to unsubscribe > > > > > ==== SWITZERLAND Mailing List ==== > Swiss Resource Site > http://swiss.genealogy.net >