18.04.2023
Ashes of the Dead as a Matter of Dispute
New blog article by Matthias Meitzler
Autonomy has become the magic word of modern society and people are increasingly empowered to decide for themselves what is good for them and what is not. Among many other areas, this also affects the contemporary approach to the end of life. Not least when it comes to the whereabouts of mortal remains, there are more options available today than ever before. But there is not always harmonious agreement among relatives when it comes to arranging the 'last things'; sometimes interests in self-determination clash with bureaucratic regulatory efforts. What this can mean in detail will be discussed using a concrete example that receives little attention in everyday social life: the private storage of ashes of the dead, which is forbidden in Germany but nevertheless practised in isolated cases.