Nobody likes to talk about death.
Luis Bauer does exactly that on TikTok.
The son of a funeral director is extremely successful with it.
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Topics that many don't really like to talk about are a hit on TikTok.
Luis Bauer's (16) videos are a success there, with thousands of people watching.
Some of his videos are clicked a million times.
He now has half a million followers on the portal.
"We didn't believe it ourselves, it just went up overnight," says his father Johannes Bauer.
He owns a funeral home in Fürth near Nuremberg, in which his son also works.
Education instead of taboo: Luis Bauer (16) answers questions about death and burials
Luis Bauer speaks in the videos about death, grief, but also the work as an undertaker.
He answers a wide variety of questions, for example whether it stinks in the hearse or what has been his worst experience so far.
Father and son share the same enthusiasm for social networks.
Johannes Bauer has been active on Facebook for 15 years.
He has his own video blog on YouTube.
He also regularly feeds Instagram with new pictures.
“We show ourselves at work, privately and that we are people who laugh too,” says the 43-year-old.
The goal is to take away people's fear of the subject of death.
"And we notice that they are thirsting for information."
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Luis (l) and his father Johannes Bauer from the burger funeral home film a video in the supply room for their social media channels.
© Nicolas Armer / dpa / dpa-Bildfunk
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Social media: death and grief no longer "taboo"
According to the Federal Association of German Undertakers, social media are becoming increasingly important for the industry.
This was also shown in the face of the corona pandemic when funeral ceremonies were broadcast as a live stream due to the contact restrictions, says Secretary General Stephan Neuser.
"We think it is very important that the subject of death and mourning comes into the public eye and is no longer continuously taboo."
For some time now, Johannes Bauer's funeral home has also had a Snapchat account, which it uses to send encouraging messages to grieving young people once a day.
This is looked after by his 13-year-old daughter.
Being present on the various channels takes a lot of time, but he and his team are happy to take it, says Bauer.
“It's a matter
close to my
heart.”
(Kam / dpa) * Merkur.de / bayern is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
List of rubric lists: © Nicolas Armer / dpa / dpa-Bildfunk