Waldbestattung durchführen

Find out here about the possibility of burial in the forest.

Forest burial is a special form of cremation. The urn is buried near a long-lived plant (usually a tree).

Burial in the forest may only take place in authorized forests (dedication as a cemetery).

The possibilities, but also the restrictions, are very individual and varied. Some cemeteries for tree burials offer communal or family gravesites or an unlimited resting period. As a rule, you are not allowed to place a headstone, grave ornaments or candles in these cemeteries.

A plaque with the name of the deceased will be placed on the tree. For details, please contact the respective cemetery operator.

• Death certificate

Please ask your appointed funeral director or the parish, church or religious community in whose cemetery the burial is to take place which other documents and proofs are required.

The same requirements must be met as for cremation.

These are

• Both post-mortem examinations must be carried out; this does not apply to miscarriages,
• Notarization of the death,
  • in the case of stillbirths, the birth must be certified by a registry office before burial
  • in the case of miscarriages, a medical certificate stating the date and circumstances of the miscarriage and the name and address of the mother must be submitted
• The urn is biodegradable

Costs are incurred for

• the performance of post-mortems (not for miscarriages),
• the notarizations,
• the cremation,
• the right to use the grave ("purchase" of the grave site),
• the coffin,
• the urn,
• the funeral director.

If you are organizing a funeral service, additional costs will be incurred (e.g. for the funeral hall, for the funeral speaker, catering, etc.).

The amount of the costs depends on the type and nature of the funeral.

If you are unable to afford the costs, please contact your local social welfare office as soon as possible.

After the death has occurred, a death certificate is issued by a doctor. A death certificate is issued by the registry office on the basis of the death certificate. You must present this to the cemetery so that the burial can take place.

In the case of a forest burial, a second post-mortem examination must be carried out by a doctor before cremation. This doctor for the second post-mortem examination must have a special official permit or a further training qualification in the field of pathology or forensic medicine. The deceased person is then cremated in a crematorium.

In Saxony-Anhalt, you do not necessarily have to hire a funeral home to carry out the funeral. However, it is advisable to hire one, as they will also take care of all the formalities and deal with the authorities for you.

You can arrange the funeral individually, whereby the wishes of the deceased should be taken into account.

If the deceased person has expressly decided against a burial in a forest or cremation, this is not permitted.

Cremation should be carried out within 10 days of the death being confirmed.

After cremation, the urn must be buried within one month.

The lower health authority (= district or city) can order an earlier cremation for reasons of hygiene. It can also allow later cremation if there are no hygienic reasons to the contrary.

Contact the municipality or town where the funeral is to be held.

Or contact a funeral home.