Bremen allows ash scattering

The parliament of the German city state of Bremen has voted to allow the ashes from a person's cremation to be scattered on private properties, despite vehement criticism from opposition Christian Democrats and church figures.

The new regional law, which will go into force at the start of 2015, supercedes the previous legal requirement in Germany that ashes or other remains of a deceased person find their last resting place at an official cemetery.

A number of conditions must be met under the law change, including the existence of a written statement by the deceased person that his or her ashes should be scattered at a particular location. Someone must also be appointed to supervise the scattering and ensure that it takes place in accordance with the wishes of the deceased.

In addition, the deceased person must have lived in Bremen as his or her last place of residence.

The ashes may also be scattered in rivers or parks, but with a special permit. Care must be taken, however, that none of the ash blows onto neighboring properties.

Growing social trend

At the first reading of the bill at the end of October, Social Democrat, Green and Left party politicians in the Bremen parliament had argued that the new law took into consideration the wish of many Germans to determine themselves what happens with their ashes, saying that the obligation to place it in a cemetery was no longer in accordance with the view of a large segment of society.

Christian Democrats and churches in the small northern German state had maintained that such a move would lead to a "privatization" of death and grief and not uphold the dignity of the deceased person.

A survey in 2007 showed that more than 45 percent of Germans wanted their ashes scattered or stored in an urn outside a cemetery.

tj/ipj (epd, dpa)