monthly and informed readers on the association’s
activities as well as relevant developments
concerning funeral directors.
In the very first issue, Remmertz looked back at
the history of the funeral industry in Germany up
to that point. For him, everything culminated in the
overwhelming need for a broad and representative
association that would advance the interests of
funeral directors – and thus safeguard Germany’s
burial culture. The unique and delicate tasks of
funeral directors, he argued, distinguished them
from other craftsmen and necessitated clear and
binding guidelines within the industry.5
This message also dominated the first major
gathering of funeral professionals in post-
war Germany, organized by Remmertz and
his colleagues in the fall of 1949. From 2 to 5
September, 2.000 funeral directors headed to
Düsseldorf to attend the general assembly of their
association as well as the first trade fair for the
German funeral industry. On 3 September, the
participants unanimously adopted a resolution
towards the government of the nascent Federal
Republic of Germany. In this resolution, they
noted that “everybody agrees that the funeral
industry
occupies
a special
position
within
professional life. Because it requires not just
technical and professional skills, but demands
personal and ethical qualifications to a much
higher degree than any other trade.” The assembly
thus distanced itself from unruly competitors
and ethically questionable business conduct. To
ensure high standards and transparency, the
government should enact legislation to define the
business environment for funeral professionals
– and enshrine conditions under which new
funeral directors could join the industry.6
Uniting the Industry
Summarizing the days in Düsseldorf, Remmertz
saw them as an important step to further unite
the industry. Namely, the division between
funeral directors with or without a professional
background in carpentry were to be abolished. In
arguing so, Remmertz interestingly pointed to the
significant number of female-led funeral homes
in Germany. While women had mostly taken over
management out of necessity (because husbands,
fathers or brothers had not returned from the war),
they were now proving themselves as colleagues –
while lacking the artisanal background some critics
deemed to be essential.7
Love, Respect, Reverence
In the aftermath of the gathering, the association
apparently felt emboldened to submit its political
demands in detail. A draft resolution (without
date) outlined these demands and beliefs. The act
of burial was defined as a matter of “love, respect
and reverence” for the deceased. And though
© BDB
© BDB
Participants of the inaugural meeting.
Dr. Simon J. Walter
Cultural Representative
of the German Burial Culture Foundation
On 3 September,
the participants unanimously
adopted a resolution towards
the government of the nascent
Federal Republic of Germany.
In this resolution, they noted
that “everybody agrees that
the funeral industry occupies
a special position within
professional life. Because it
requires not just technical
and professional skills, but
demands personal and ethical
qualifications to a much higher
degree than any other trade.”
THANOS MAGAZINE | No. 102 – SUMMER 2023
25
JUBILEES