- Rising Muslim Funeral Sites Demand - The Imperative for Cemeteries
In Berlin, the forecast suggests a rise in Islamic funeral services in the coming years. The city is facing a pressing need for Muslim burial spots, a trend that's predicted to escalate further, as stated in the Senate's response to an SPD inquiry. This surge is largely influenced by an increasing number of Muslims who have resided in Berlin for decades or were born here, expressing a desire to be laid to rest in their residential city. Demographic shifts and immigration from Islamic nations are also contributing factors to this soaring demand.
At present, state-owned cemeteries and Protestant cemeteries provide graves for Islamic funerals in six and four locations respectively. In 2018, €2 million was allocated for creating new burial spots at the landscape cemetery Gatow in the Spandau district, and an additional €4 million was set aside in the current year.
Initially, in 2006, the Senate planned to shut down specific cemetery sections due to dwindling burial rates. However, given the city's expansive growth, diverse culture, and the necessity to adjust to climate change, future priorities will likely shift.
As per the Senate's documentation, Berlin boasts a total of 182 burial grounds where individuals are interred, plus 40 gravesites that have been permanently closed for further burials. The state oversees 85 cemeteries, in addition to 118 Protestant, nine Catholic, five Jewish, and five alternative burial grounds.
In 2022, approximately 40,000 individuals passed away in Berlin. Approximately 34,000 of these individuals received traditional burials, with around 5,500 being interred in individual grave sites (16%), 13,500 in individual urn graves (40%), and approximately 15,000 in communal urn graves (44%).
Due to the predicted rise in Islamic funeral services, there might be a need to expand the current six locations providing graves for Islamic funerals in state-owned cemeteries. The surge in Muslim residents expressing a desire for burial in Berlin may necessitate additional funding for new burial spots, as demonstrated by the €2 million allocated in 2018 and €4 million in 2019.
