Expanded burial grounds for the Muslim community - Cities enlarge cemeteries - Expanded Cemetery Space for Muslim Interments - Municipalities Boosting Burial Grounds
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In recent years, the number of Muslim burials in Germany has significantly increased, particularly in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) municipalities. However, the demand for Muslim-owned cemeteries remains limited, according to the Central Council of Muslims (ZMD).
ZMD state chairman Bouaissa has stated that practicing Muslims only use burial options in Germany if repatriation to the country of origin is not possible. Despite this, many Muslim families choose to bury their deceased in sections of public cemeteries that accommodate Islamic burial rites rather than exclusively in Muslim-owned cemeteries.
One of the reasons for this is the administrative regulations and practical considerations surrounding the creation of new Muslim cemeteries. For instance, plans to open the first Muslim-owned cemetery in Wuppertal have been delayed due to building and environmental law issues, but a building permit has recently been submitted.
Another factor is the socio-cultural integration of Muslim families into wider German society. Many Muslim families are integrated and feel comfortable using traditional cemeteries that provide for Muslim rites, leading to a lower exclusive demand for Muslim-owned cemeteries.
In Cologne, the number of Muslim burials on designated grave plots has almost doubled over the past ten years, from 185 in 2014 to an estimated number in the most recent year. The city of Gelsenkirchen expanded its Muslim graveyard at the beginning of July. Since the Corona pandemic, the number of Muslim burials has increased significantly in Gelsenkirich, from a few per year to 29 in 2023.
In Dortmund, the number of Muslim burials increased from 26 in 2014 to 81 ten years later. Currently, 150 additional Muslim grave plots are being created in Dortmund. Bielefeld reports an increase from 31 in 2014 to 53 in the most recent year.
Several cities in NRW, including Cologne, Duisburg, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Hagen, Hamm, and Bielefeld, have expanded or plan to expand their graveyards to accommodate the increase in Muslim burials.
Despite this, the demand for Muslim-owned cemeteries in Germany remains limited. This is primarily due to factors such as the use of existing cemeteries, differing burial customs, and logistical or legal constraints around establishing separate Muslim cemeteries.
These aspects reflect trends similar to those observed in neighboring countries such as Denmark, where despite a rising Muslim population and more mosques, specialized Muslim burial sites are limited, and many Muslims still use general cemetery spaces adapted for Islamic rites.
Unfortunately, detailed German-specific studies on the exact demand dynamics for Muslim-owned cemeteries are sparse in the available search results. However, sociocultural integration, administrative regulations, and practical considerations appear to be the main reasons for the limited demand despite more Muslim burials.
In Hamm, the number of Muslim burials increased from 20 to 49 in the past ten years. In Duisburg, the number of Muslim burials on municipal cemeteries has increased roughly fivefold over the past ten years to 99 in 2024. In Hagen, the number of Muslim burials increased from 19 in 2014 to 70 in the past ten years.
Bouaissa envisions the project in Wuppertal as a model for future cemeteries under Muslim management. Despite this, the majority of these cemeteries are under municipal ownership.
The ZMD states that a burial in a municipally operated cemetery is only the second-best solution for many believing Muslims, who will still be transported back to their countries of origin after death. Many North African and Turkish-origin Muslim families take out death insurance policies for burial abroad.
In conclusion, while the number of Muslim burials in Germany is on the rise, the demand for Muslim-owned cemeteries remains limited. This is primarily due to factors such as the use of existing cemeteries, differing burial customs, and logistical or legal constraints around establishing separate Muslim cemeteries.
- In light of the increasing number of Muslim burials in Germany, particularly in NRW municipalities, and the observation of the same trend in neighboring countries such as Denmark, there might be a potential for vocational training programs to address the science behind health-and-wellness needs during the burial process, ensuring compliance with Islamic burial rites.
- As a means to provide adequate and culturally sensitive accommodation for Muslim families in Germany, policymakers could consider implementing vocational training programs in the field of health-and-wellness, focusing on medical-conditions specific to Muslim burials, to enhance the skills of professionals working in public cemeteries, thus bridging the gap between existing cemeteries and religious requirements.
