River burials in Rhineland-Palatinate: New burial trends from October!

River burials in Rhineland-Palatinate: New burial trends from October!

An exciting change is taking place in Rhineland-Palatinate with a new burial law. From the beginning of October 2025, river burials will be possible on selected bodies of water such as the Rhine, Moselle, Saar and Lahn. This announces the Borken newspaper to. The idea of ​​saying goodbye to a relative in this special way is generating great interest, according to several funeral directors. Ulrike Grandjean highlights that demand is surprisingly high, although she expects the current hype to be short-lived.

However, river burials also raise many practical questions. Undertaker Steffen Großmann expresses concerns about the lack of implementing regulations. For example, it is not clearly clear where exactly these burials should take place and how to proceed when the water is low. There are still some ambiguities that need to be resolved in order to meet future needs.

Important details about the river burial

For the river burials, a cost of around 3,000 euros is taken into account for carrying out on the Rhine. This already includes the costs for the crematorium and the funeral home. Additional expenses may arise for relatives, funeral flowers or special wishes. In addition, the urns used must quickly dissolve the ashes in the water and be suitable for sinking and spreading well into the ground rather than floating on the surface of the water.

Another important point in the new burial law is the introduction of a requirement for an autopsy for children under 6 years of age if the cause of death cannot be clearly identified. This sees that Ministry of Further Education, Science and Health before. A second official post-mortem examination is implemented as a control mechanism to ensure that an autopsy is necessary. The background is the high number of unreported cases of possible external influences on small children.

Historical background

Compulsory burial has a long tradition in Germany that dates back to the Middle Ages. How undertaker.de represents, it is based on Christian tradition and determines who is responsible for the burial of a deceased person. Over the centuries, legal regulations have been developed to ensure that funerals are not allowed to take place within built-up areas for hygienic reasons. The responsibility for implementing the funeral obligation remains primarily with the next of kin, while the obligation to bear the costs is regulated in the Civil Code.

The introduction of river burials and the adjustments to the burial law show that there is a change in society's approach to the issue of saying goodbye. While many feel the need for individual funeral arrangements, it will be exciting to see how these new options prove themselves in practice and whether they find the desired place for people.