As of: February 16, 2024, 7:00 p.m
By: Armin Forster
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Muslim citizens want their own grave site at the Moosburg cemetery.
But according to the church administration, the currently free areas - like those in the picture - are already reserved for the regular cemetery expansion.
© Forster
Many Muslims in Moosburg would like to have their own grave site at the cemetery, and the city supports this. But now the Catholic Church is standing in the way.
Moosburg
– When the Turkish “guest workers” came to Germany 62 years ago, the rule in the event of deaths in their families living here was: Burial in their old homeland.
This is increasingly outdated for future generations: Many of the Muslims living in Germany today want to be buried close to home, and in accordance with their religious rites (
see info box below
).
There are also more and more immigrants who can no longer return to their country of origin due to wars or who cannot afford the high transfer costs.
Supports the request of the Muslim community in Moosburg: Mayor Josef Dollinger (3rd from left) when handing over the signature list in July 2023. © Spanier
That's why many municipalities have now set up Muslim grave fields in cemeteries, such as Freising or Landshut.
In Moosburg, too, the desire for this is growing among the estimated 2,500 Muslims - i.e. 12.5 percent of the population.
Not just because of the special rites, but because people like to stay among their own kind even after death, or sometimes fear a certain rejection from non-Muslim believers.
An official request should give emphasis
In order to give weight to the wish of Moosburg's Muslims, a list with 530 signatures was handed over to local boss Josef Dollinger in July 2023.
Last week, Orhan Söhmelioglu, Moosburg entrepreneur and mouthpiece of the Muslim community, submitted an application to the city.
“So that it has an official character and creates emphasis,” said the 43-year-old, who also sits on the local CSU board.
Background knowledge: The special rules for Muslim burials
During the burial of Muslim people, the deceased is placed in a
linen cloth
in the dug earth grave and then lies with the right shoulder on the ground.
The
face of the deceased is oriented towards Mecca
, looking towards the Kaaba - the central shrine of Islam in Saudi Arabia.
After loosening the linen cloth, a cavity is created in the grave and the grave is filled.
In contrast to Christian traditions, Muslims are required to have a single grave, and there is
no possibility of urn burial
.
For people of the Muslim faith, Muslims in the neighboring graves are very important for religious reasons.
The
requirement to carry a coffin has been lifted in Bavaria since 2021
.
There are also Muslims for whom it is okay to be buried in a coffin.
These
special coffins dissolve faster
.
Because many Muslims still want to be buried in their countries of origin, organizations offer
funeral assistance funds
: a type of death insurance that is paid into regularly and which then covers the
high costs of transporting
the body abroad.
nb/afo
In the application, Söhmelioglu describes growing “questions and uncertainties among many Muslim citizens” when it comes to the topic of death.
A separate grave field in the existing cemetery would help and would be completely sufficient.
“We see this pragmatically: There is no need for a new cemetery, sponsors or new statutes.” This works in other cities, says Söhmelioglu.
It was also clarified with the Eisenmann company, the funeral service provider, that Islamic-compliant funerals would be possible without any problems.
The Catholic Church sees several hurdles
Moosburg's St. Kastulus Catholic Church Foundation, the cemetery's administrator, sees problems with this.
In a press conference on Friday, city priest Reinhold Föckersperger, administrative manager Herbert Neumaier and church caretaker Claudia John explained that the implementation of the Muslim grave field was currently not possible.
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The church representatives (from left) Herbert Neumaier, Pastor Reinhold Föckersperger and Claudia John see no room for a Muslim grave site at the Moosburg cemetery.
© Forster
Firstly, according to the cemetery regulations, everyone has a free choice of grave, which must then also apply to the expansion.
A change to the statutes is ruled out.
“There are other faiths too.
They might then say: Now we want our own area too,” fears Neumaier.
Secondly: “There is simply not enough space for an isolated burial ground,” says Pastor Föckersperger.
The meadows around the cemetery are private property, the free areas within have already been planned for regular expansion.
After all, there are already individual graves that allow the orientation towards Mecca and a cloth burial is also permitted.
The mayor is surprised, the Muslim representative is disappointed
When asked, Mayor Josef Dollinger was surprised by the church's statements and irritated by the solo effort.
“I assumed that it would work, you can change a statute.” He supports the Muslim community’s concerns.
His credo: “We have to solve this together.”
Orhan Söhmelioglu was disappointed by the church's statements.
“If 12.5 percent of the population want that, I ask myself: How many Muslim residents does it take for that to be considered necessary?”