The choice and design of the gravesite depends primarily on the form of burial. The most common in Germany is the traditional burial in the cemetery.The gravesite is an important place for the survivors, where they can remember the deceased and say goodbye. You always have the opportunity to visit the deceased at his grave to cope with your grief.The gravesite often reflects the character of the deceased, as relatives often decorate it with flowers that the deceased particularly liked. Gravestones can further emphasize this with an individual inscription or a personal funeral poem.The range of possible grave types varies regionally from cemetery to cemetery. Most cemeteries distinguish between earth grave, urn grave and the anonymous grave. These can then each be created as an elective grave or row grave.
With an earth grave the deceased is buried in a coffin. The minimum resting period for an earth grave is 20 years; the exact minimum resting period differs greatly between individual states and cemeteries. An earth burial must be carried out within eight days of death at the latest.
The urn grave is a form of the earth grave in which the deceased is buried in an urn (decorative urn). Before that, the deceased is cremated in a crematorium (cremation). The resting period for an urn grave is generally 20 to 25 years. The urn grave can be created as a row grave and as an elective grave.
An anonymous grave is used for the nameless burial of urns and coffins. With an anonymous grave, the relatives are not told where exactly the deceased was buried. Thus, the surviving relatives do not have a traditional memorial/gravesite at which to visit the deceased.
With an elective grave you can choose between different sizes, this is especially suitable for those who would like to be buried next to their deceased loved ones at a later date. The resting period for an elective grave is usually between 20 and 30 years. After this period, however, the resting period can be extended again at most cemeteries. Elective graves are available for burial in an urn as well as for coffin burial.
In contrast to the elective grave, only one person can be buried in a row grave. The resting period for a row grave is between 25 and 30 years. An extension of the resting period is generally not common here.