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A father objects to his daughter’s grave being dug up. However, the municipality of Affoltern am Albis does not want to make an exception and treat all relatives equally.
Colorful flowers decorate the grave in the cemetery in Affoltern am Albis, and an angel figure watches over Werner Fuchs’ daughter. Olivia died of an epileptic seizure at the age of 15. That was over 20 years ago now. That’s why her grave should now be dug up.
Werner Fuchs is losing a “ritual place,” as he says. Its meaning has changed for him over the years. However, the grave remained a place where he could come into contact with his deceased daughter. “I rarely cry anymore, that’s good for me,” he says.
The community does this without any need.
He cannot understand why Olivia’s grave should be dug up this month. He says: “In my opinion, the community does this without any need.” There is enough space in the cemetery. In the past, there were no such rules, as a former mayor told him.
The community wants to treat everyone equally
At the request of SRF, the municipality of Affoltern am Albis refers to the burial and cemetery regulations. Like the other graves, children’s graves would be removed after 20 years, says city clerk Stefan Trottmann, adding: “We have to treat everyone equally.”
The community has also received inquiries about other graves as to whether they could remain there longer. They wouldn’t have made an exception there either.
Legend:
A place for mourning like this grave in the Fluntern cemetery is important for many relatives.
Keystone/Gaetan Bally
According to Trottmann, the municipal assembly could change the ordinance. Due to the requirements of the canton of Zurich, it would not be possible to shorten the burial period. However, it would be possible to extend this. He says: “However, the city council of Affoltern am Albis has never received an application.” Trottmann says he cannot therefore say how the city council would respond to the question.
The city of Zurich is accommodating to relatives
Different rules apply in other Zurich communities. In the city of Zurich, for example, the burial period for children’s graves lasts longer at 30 years than for adults at 20 years. The children’s graves include those of children up to 12 years old.
Legend:
In cemeteries in the city of Zurich, graves of children up to 12 years of age are subject to a longer period of rest.
Keystone/Petra Orosz
These deadlines were sufficient in the vast majority of cases, says Rolf Steinmann from the funeral office of the city of Zurich. “In individual cases there is a desire for us to extend the grave rest. Then we’ll just check what’s possible.” One solution could be, for example, to move an urn within the cemetery or to another cemetery.
However, a grave cannot remain in the same place for longer than intended. The city of Zurich does not dig up individual graves, but rather entire grave fields. Steinmann says: “If we were to simply leave a single grave in a larger field, that would be very irritating.” It would also be unfair for other relatives.