Burial forest (still) not an issue in Lenggries

Created: 05/18/2022, 06:30

By: Veronika Ahn-Tauchnitz

Saying goodbye in the forest: This has been possible since 2020 in the "Waldruh Dietramszell".

The only building is a wooden pavilion, which is assigned a place of worship a little below.

© Waldruh

As came to light in the Lenggrieser citizens' meeting, a citizen wishes to create a burial forest.

However, the municipality does not have suitable land.

Lenggries -

There was a whole bar of questions in the Lenggrieser citizens' meeting (we reported).

The municipal council also discussed them at its meeting on Monday evening.

Among them was a concern that had been submitted too late for the meeting and was therefore discussed for the first time now.

A citizen wishes to create a burial forest in Lenggries.

The next such offer is in Dietramszell.

It's also the only one in the county.

Since 2020 there has been the possibility of tree burials on an area of ​​eight hectares.

The ashes of the deceased are buried at the base of a tree.

Only a small plaque reminds of the dead.

There is no design with floral decorations or the like.

Ultimately, nature takes care of the graves.

Many bureaucratic hurdles when creating a Friedwald

The von Schilcher family - they own the area - campaigned for the creation of the Friedwald for years.

All sorts of bureaucratic hurdles had to be overcome - including the fact that cemeteries in Bavaria are not allowed to be in private hands.

Therefore, the following construct came about in Dietramszell: The community leased the site from the von Schilcher family until 2099, after which it was handed over to the von Schilcher'sche forest and estate administration for the operation of the burial forest.

Although there is also in Lenggries "a strong increase in cremations," said Tobias Riesch, managing official, at the meeting on Monday.

After the possibility of tree burial inquired but as good as nobody.

"There was only one request." In addition, the municipality has no suitable property.

The nearest Friedwald is in Dietramszell

Nadia Tretter (Greens) doubted that one could actually make a serious statement about the possible demand for tree burials in Lenggries.

"Nobody asks about it when you know that there is no burial forest.

How do you then find out whether a demand would be high enough?” But you do find out where the dead are buried, Riesch replied.

And here it is "not noticeable" that many surviving dependents opt for the "Waldruh" in Dietramszell, for example.

A lack of demand for a Friedwald in Lenggries would also have very serious consequences for those who decide to have a burial there.

"Cemeteries are cost-accounting institutions," said Riesch.

This means that the money that is spent here has to come back through the fees.

"If there is not enough demand, the few users have to pay high fees," explained the managing official.

In the end, the municipal council decided not to take up the issue again until there was a higher demand for tree burials in the municipality.

The decision was unanimous.

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