A Tomb Of One’s Own: Inside Berlin’s Lesbian-Only Cemetery

"We have to make our traditions."

From: NewNowNext

 Call it the ultimate safe space: A graveyard in Berlin has been set aside specifically for lesbians.

A 4,300-square-foot section of Georgen Parochial Cemetery in Prenzlauer Berg was purchased two years ago with the goal of providing a final resting place for members of the mature lesbian group Safia.

 “We wanted to stay together, to be close to those with whom we lived, we loved, we worked, we fought,” said Safia’s Astrid Osterland, who has purchased a plot for herself.

“We had surveyed several cemeteries, but we decided on this one because we knew it and we knew it was beautiful.”

 A winding sandy path leads to the graveyard, which has space for 80 bodies or urns. Osterland admits the concept may sound strange, but she insists it’s not anti-male.

“All those who want to come and honor the dead with respect are welcome,” she said of the site, which is affiliated with the Lutheran Church.

Though still rare, interest in LGBT-specific grave sites is growing: The first is believed to have started in Denmark in 2008.

In some cases it’s simply a question of community, much like a Jewish cemetery or a veteran’s cemetery. But for others, burial in their family plot or with members of their faith is not an option.

In 2011, a group announced it would be launching one in Atlanta’s Crest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery for same-sex couples, their children, single people, and other LGBT people who want to be with their chosen families.

“It’s about a sense of community, connection… it’s a tradition,” Dignity Memorial’s John Suggs told the Georgia Voice.

“We have to make our traditions. In a way this is a way to honor our relationships in a simple but proud way. Being able to be next to your partner at end of life is important, comforting and a reassuring thing to know.”