15 May 2012

Black and white grave


In Germany, it's very important for families to take care of the grave. This one in the Saint Mathias cemetery in Berlin is very well cared for. I like it in black and white. Photo taken in April 2012. To see more cemeteries, visit Tapophile Tragics.

13 comments:

  1. I have been to a few cemeteries in Germany and I was very impressed with the way the graves were looked after. Thanks for sharing this, I will dig out some shots from a cemetery in Heidelberg where Ebert, Germany's first president, is buried.

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  2. I rather wish we had that in our culture - so many graves seem to be neglected save for the maintenance people who mow the grass.

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  3. It's a beautiful composition, perfect in b&w indeed!
    I agree with JM!
    Léia

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  4. Beautiful picture.

    Herding Cats

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  5. two photo posts with a well maintained garden!

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  6. Good choice in black and white, do you know the person?

    Greetings,
    Filip

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  7. What happens when family members move away? That's common here, and a main reason you rarely see more than two, maybe three, generations in a family plot. That and so many people are opting for cremation.

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  8. @Oakland - the graves are usually leased for 20 - 25 years. At the end of the lease, the family can renew. But if there's no living family anymore or they don't want to keep it up anymore, the plot will be sold to someone else. Typically there's not much left after 20 years as the Germans don't use embalming fluid, etc. But if there were still remains, they would be cremated and moved to another spot. I'm not sure what they do with the headstones though.

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  9. @Filip & Kristel - I don't know this person, but it's near my father-in-law's grave.

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  10. I like cemetery photos in black and white too. THis is a beautiful photo!

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  11. i think i have never been to a cemetery in germany..
    didnt know its important to take good care of the graves!

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  12. How long A grave is allocated to the deceased varies in Australia and I am not sure if it is a state law or merely a cemetery law. However, so very many in both Sydney and Melbourne are held in perpetuity.

    There is a difference in culture, too, between Germany and the USA, in that Americans are more relocatable, ie they move around more for either pleasure or for employment. Whereas Europeans tend to stay within a more localised area.

    This could be one of the reasons for an ongoing ability to maintain family plots.

    Also, I am seeing more and more where burial plots have ashed poured into them, and a small plaque added.

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