Extending the life of a grave is expensive
Extending the life of a grave is expensive
"My wife and I have received a letter from the town of Veyrier informing us that the grave of our son, who died in 1995, has expired. Transferring it to another grave will cost us around CHF 3,500 for 20 years and CHF 6,500 for 40 years. If we forego this expense, the grave will not be moved, but the monument will be destroyed and its location will no longer be visible. Given that we are an elderly couple (aged 80 and 85) with a very small pension, what means do we have to continue to pay our respects to the grave of our dearly beloved son? What right do we have to authorise such an ethically inhumane practice?
Rosa and Genio
In Veyrier, the legal duration of a grave or a space in the columbarium is twenty years. It is indeed possible to renew for a period of 20 years, but only if the burial site is moved, i.e. exhumed and reburied.
Article 22 of the Cemetery Regulations of the Commune of Veyrier specifies that in such cases, the family shall bear all costs incurred in moving the grave, i.e. exhumation, reburial and the cost of moving the headstone. Ornamental plants are either transplanted by the family or left on the old grave site.
Any person who is a native of, born in, deceased in, resident in or owner of Geneva has the right to be buried in the municipal cemeteries, free of charge under certain conditions, but no perpetual concessions may be granted. The same applies to Veyrier. As a result, painful as it may seem, there is no right to financial assistance to renew a grave beyond its statutory term, but you do have the option of paying the amount due in instalments. As the financial situation of family members is not taken into account, a possible reduction in the fee does not seem possible.
Please note that if you decide not to renew, your son's grave will remain in its current location forever. The monument will be destroyed if it is not taken over by the family. In practice, in order to continue visiting the graves of the deceased, some people take photographs of the monument before it is removed, so that they can later identify the location of the grave.
