This sparked in me a memory from my most recent trip to Germany. A friend I was traveling with, who has lived in Germany before, mentioned that there is an expectation, culturally, for Germans to tend to the graves of their loved ones. It's quite shameful for their to be a neglected gravestone. What a difference from the States. I wonder if that was always the case here, or is there was a change at some point?
Great question. I’ve read that many German cemeteries are also functional parks where people gather (like a third space). So different than in the US where many are locked up and/or out of the way (though the Forest Lawn corporation is different, and some locations host community events and one has a proper art gallery).
My sense is in the US it was a gradual shift when cemeteries moved away from local management through churches and civic organizations to corporate ownership.
I also sense the spiritual shift in the US would impact this as well. And where Germany (a great example) has largely (imperfectly) reckoned with their cultural same from the holocaust the US has not done the same from their history with slavery.
Thanks for your comment. It’s helping me process deeper. I’m now seeing a spectrum emerge in how the US manages death.
This sparked in me a memory from my most recent trip to Germany. A friend I was traveling with, who has lived in Germany before, mentioned that there is an expectation, culturally, for Germans to tend to the graves of their loved ones. It's quite shameful for their to be a neglected gravestone. What a difference from the States. I wonder if that was always the case here, or is there was a change at some point?
Great question. I’ve read that many German cemeteries are also functional parks where people gather (like a third space). So different than in the US where many are locked up and/or out of the way (though the Forest Lawn corporation is different, and some locations host community events and one has a proper art gallery).
My sense is in the US it was a gradual shift when cemeteries moved away from local management through churches and civic organizations to corporate ownership.
I also sense the spiritual shift in the US would impact this as well. And where Germany (a great example) has largely (imperfectly) reckoned with their cultural same from the holocaust the US has not done the same from their history with slavery.
Thanks for your comment. It’s helping me process deeper. I’m now seeing a spectrum emerge in how the US manages death.