Finding a Dignified Burial Site: What to Consider When Choosing a Grave

When a death occurs, many difficult decisions accompany the grief. It is very rare for individuals to have already chosen their own graves and made the necessary arrangements during their lifetime. In most cases, this responsibility falls to the bereaved.

We explain what you need to consider during this process.

What Burial Sites Are Available?

First of all, the question arises as to what type of grave is suitable. Should the beloved deceased be laid to rest in an existing family grave, or must a new burial site be found?

Not every cemetery offers the same options when it comes to choosing a grave. Carefully think about your priorities and then inquire at the respective cemetery about its regulations and the possibilities available to you.

Choice Grave

A choice grave is a burial site you can select freely. Using a cemetery map, you can decide whether the grave should be near the chapel, under a tree, or by the cemetery wall, for instance. You also often have options regarding the size of the grave. However, not all cemeteries offer this type of grave. If you have specific preferences for the location, make sure to inquire explicitly about it.

Line Grave

With line graves, you do not have the option to choose the exact location. These graves are assigned sequentially, and you will be given the next available plot. The grave has precisely defined dimensions and is placed in a row with graves on either side.

Anonymous Grave

An anonymous grave eliminates the use of a gravestone or a plaque with an inscription. Often, burial sites in forest cemeteries or lawn graves, for instance, are anonymous graves - the deceased is laid to rest in a very natural setting. In the case of semi-anonymous graves, there is a communal plaque or register where the location of the deceased's final resting place is recorded. For completely anonymous graves, no one knows the exact location of the grave.

How to Find a Burial Site?

Depending on how the deceased lived their life or what their explicit final wishes were, the choice of a suitable burial site can vary. Some important considerations should be made in advance concerning the grave choice, as they influence your options when deciding on a specific grave site.

1. Choice of Burial Type

First, there's the choice of burial type: If you are considering an earth burial, it is generally subject to certain regulations. Depending on the cemetery, your options might be limited to a family grave, a row grave, or possibly a private grave.

If the decision is in favor of cremation, in addition to earth graves, columbariums, forest graves, or even sea burials may be possible options.

2. Choice of Burial Location

This brings us to the choice of burial location: Perhaps your beloved deceased was an avid sailor or boater? In that case, a sea burial might be suitable. Or maybe they were deeply connected to nature and wished to become one with it in a forest cemetery? Perhaps, due to a strong connection to their hometown, a specific cemetery is preferred? You can inquire at that location about the types of graves allowed and how you can align your choice accordingly.