The annual gravestone inspection has been arranged by the cemetery administration and takes place at all cemeteries in the municipality of Rüdersdorf bei Berlin.
will take place on 12 May 2023.
Horizontal stones or so-called cushion stones are not tested, as there is no danger of them falling over.
If there are indications that the stability of gravestones, other structures or parts thereof is no longer guaranteed, the authorised users responsible for maintenance are obliged to remedy the situation immediately.
These gravestones are provided with a corresponding warning sticker. The authorised users will also receive a letter from the cemetery administration asking them to have the stability of the gravestone restored.
Background to the annual inspection by Diana Helbig, Clerk, Cemetery Administration:
Nationwide, there are said to be 80 accidents involving gravestones every year. The vast majority of them are not serious. However, there are always frightening reports of incidents in cemeteries where this is not the case. For example, in the US state of Pennsylvania, a 74-year-old man was killed by his mother's gravestone, and in Texas a boy aged just four was killed. In 2011, an eight-year-old was the victim in Slovakia, and in 2008 an elderly woman in Vienna. In 2003, a seven-year-old girl in Mettendorf, Bavaria, was gyrating on her grandmother's granite gravestone. The stone fell over and the girl died.
Most gravestones are made of extremely robust and durable natural stone and are made to last for eternity. A foundation is poured for the standing gravestones, which is made by the responsible stonemason. The headstone is then dowelled to the foundation. This ensures that the headstone is firmly anchored.
However, stability can be influenced by many factors. For example, weather influences such as frost, heat or rain. The ground is also loosened by the creation of a so-called vault for the burial of a coffin or the burial of an urn. The reapplied soil must be compacted again, which takes some time (up to a year). This can result in cavities in the earth. And if graves in the neighbourhood are excavated, this can also lead to a reduction in stability. Furthermore, this can also be affected by penetrating roots. All of these circumstances gnaw away at the materials and a fixed stone can lose its stability.
It can then happen that the cemetery administration has to criticise the stability of individual gravestones. A loose gravestone is a source of danger and must be removed. This is because a gravestone can topple over and, at 200 to 400 kilograms, is extremely heavy.
In Germany, of course, there are plenty of laws designed to prevent such accidents. The duty of care actually lies with those authorised to use the graves, i.e. the relatives. When we as a municipality build and maintain a cemetery, we create a source of danger. As the cemetery operator, we are therefore obliged to ensure the safety of the cemetery and must, within the bounds of what is economically reasonable for us, take measures to prevent such dangers that may arise during the intended use of the cemetery. This means that the municipality must maintain the cemetery and its facilities in a proper condition.
The duty to ensure safety must focus on averting dangers that road users do not have to expect. An essential duty of care is the annual inspection of the stability of standing gravestones.
| Stability statistics | ||||
| in the year 2018 | in 2022 | |||
| Overall tests | 704 | 100 % | 866 | 100 % |
| of which incorrect | 93 | 13,2 % | 24 | 2,8 % |
| of which in order | 611 | 86,8 % | 842 | 97,2 % |
A comparison between 2018 and last year shows that we are on the right track and that the municipality's cemeteries are becoming increasingly safe thanks to the annual inspection.
In 2018, 13.2% of all gravestones inspected were defective. Due to an extreme danger, 5 stones had to be moved immediately. One gravesite had to be specially secured with barriers.
The number of gravestones found to be faulty fell in the second and third year. So far, the inspections have prevented accidents in our municipality.
The stability checks are carried out after the winter, as frost and moisture are the most common causes of damage. For example, when water penetrates the earth and freezes between the gravestone and the mortar of the foundation. The foundation or the connection between the plinth and foundation is often damaged. If the stability is impaired, the stone must be realigned and secured. In some cases it is also necessary to reinforce the foundation.