Memmingen honors cemetery culture: places of remembrance and life!

Memmingen honors cemetery culture: places of remembrance and life!

The cemeteries in Memmingen have acquired a special status. They are now part of the intangible cultural heritage of cemetery culture. This award, which was decided in March 2020 on the initiative of the German UNESCO Commission, was recently celebrated with a new sign at the forest cemetery. This sign reads “Intangible Cultural Heritage Cemetery Culture” and is the starting point for a series of similar signs at all district cemeteries. As the city of Memmingen reports, this initiative highlights the culture of cemeteries as places of remembrance and encounter.

Mayor Jan Rothenbacher speaks and emphasizes the central role that cemeteries play for the community. They are not only places of mourning, but also places of integration and encounters across cultural and religious boundaries. “Cemeteries create identity and offer space for the living,” explains Anna Lutter, the deputy head of the city’s cemetery administration. She emphasizes that the award is not for the cemeteries themselves, but for the culture around them. Cemetery culture encompasses mourning, remembering and caring for the graves. We encounter historical dimensions in particular in the old cemetery in the east of Memmingen and the Jewish cemetery.

The importance of cemetery culture

Cemetery culture is a complex of topics that is increasingly coming into the spotlight in Germany. The Cultural Council also highlights this and provides information about a discussion event entitled “Five years of intangible heritage cemetery culture: the cultural space of the cemetery in a diverse society”, which will take place on March 13, 2025 in Berlin. Here the discussion takes place about the care and further development of cemeteries within the framework of an open society, a real concern in today's world.

The cemeteries themselves are much more than just resting places. They offer a retreat that counteracts social isolation and creates space for memories. The integration of cemetery culture into the intangible heritage also shows how important such places are for nature conservation and biodiversity. These dimensions should not be overlooked - cemeteries are important not only for the dead, but ultimately also for the living.

Cemeteries as social spaces

These places are often a meeting place for families and loved ones who come together to remember their deceased. They promote social bonds and can contribute to community building through the exchange of grief and memories. Last but not least, cemeteries have an important function with regard to people's mental health. Here memories can be kept alive and space is created to talk about grief and loss. Such an offer makes a valuable contribution to social integration.

For further information about cemetery culture in Germany, we recommend the website www.kulturerbe-friedhof.de. There you will also find exciting suggestions for the future care of these unique cultural spaces. The appreciation shown to cemeteries and their culture is a step in the right direction to keep these important places alive for future generations.