What happens to remains and headstones in Swiss cemeteries over time?
What happens to remains and headstones in Swiss cemeteries over time? I'm especially interested in cemeteries in the the Canton of Zürich. For example, according to a church concierge, in Sweden, if no one pays the fees for a grave for a certain time and someone else needs a grave. The headstone is removed (I don't know what happens to it, although I would like to know), the grave is dug, the bones of previous burials are screened, the casket is lowered into the grave, the bones of previous burials are placed on top of the new casket, and the grave is filled with dirt. Unlike the United States, bodies are not embalmed and caskets are meant to deteriorate.
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As usual in Switzerland - I don't think there is a general answer 😉. Nowadays the political communities are responsible for the rules, the "Friedhofsreglement" - the one for Weinfelden (Thurgau) is just an example: https://www.weinfelden.ch/public/upload/assets/2619/Friedhofreglement.pdf. In the Tagblatt (official announcements for the city of Zürich) a summary has been published: https://www.tagblattzuerich.ch/aktuell/ratgeber/ratgeber-detail/article/was-passiert-wenn-ein-grab-aufgeloest-wird.html. A longer description can be found on https://www.landbote.ch/das-amtliche-ende-am-friedhof/story/15401204.
Your specific question was about the headstones: they belong to the family and can be picked up - which is actually done in few cases only, however. Headstones not reclaimed are converted to gravel.
I have asked on https://www.geneal-forum.com/phpbb/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=31840 whether anyone is aware of more general (minimal) rules and - especially - about customs in earlier centuries. You are welcome to have a look 😉.
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