New perceptions of mourning and grief

The Mourning Stop (“Trauerhaltestelle”) is available for Families since 2021 at Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Hamburg, Germany. It is a retreat within the public space of the cemetery, where visitors can feel secure and explore individual ways to mourn. It is a place for new perceptions of mourning and grief. The Mourning Stop (“Trauerhaltestelle”) concept is a call to rethink the way we plan and build cemeteries in Germany and worldwide.

Filmmaker Pavel Franzusov brings this unique place to life. He meets visitors who have found a personalspace to commemorate their loved ones. By leaving messages on the walls and by placing individual mementos on the designated shelves, they mourn free from conventions and ideological connotations. Through being creative, they themselves become part of the ever-changing place.
Franzusov talks to experts on German burial culture to paint a bigger picture: How are mourning and commemoration changing in the 21st century? What do people in grief wish for? What expectations do they have regarding our cemeteries? Are the cemeteries living up to these expectations?

We invite you to watch the video (English subtitles)

You will also be able to read more about the new paradigm of cemeteries in the winter issue of THANOS magazine. Stay tuned!