From Here to Eternity - A Study of how the peace of the grave is interpreted in practice

Perpetual Grave Peace

Sweden is one of few countries that, according to law, applies the peace of the grave, but what does it mean in practice? How is the concept interpreted and practiced in funeral services, especially concerning the reuse of graves? According to the Swedish Criminal Code, it is an offense agains the law to damage or move ashes or remains, including urns and coffins. However, it is possible to reuse graves, something that can be problematic for certain religious communities that believe in an afterlife. How the peace of the grave interpreted and practiced seems to vary among different cemetery managers. There are no scientific publications on how the concept is applied in Sweden; however, the issue of the peace of the grave has been relevant in relation to the Estonia disaster and the relocation of the Kiruna cemetery due to expanded mining activities in the area.

Analyses from cemetery administrators in metropolitan regions indicate that there will be a shortage of burial spaces, especially coffin burial plots, within a few years. The background to this is urbanization, densification, and the development of Sweden into a multicultural society with diverse burial traditions.

The project

In the project, we examine how society can meet the future need for more burial ground space, for example, by reusing existing burial plots. We address questions about the peace of the grave and how cemeteries can be developed without conflicting with current laws. 

The purpose is to investigate and problematize what the peace of the grave in Sweden entails and has entailed since the mid-1800s. The goal is to spread knowledge about the concept and contribute to national guidelines for the reuse of cemeteries, taking into account various religious beliefs. Furthermore, we aim to initiate a political debate on the peace of the grave in relation to the future need for more burial space.

The research questions

• How has the concept of the peace of the grave developed in laws and regulations in Sweden over the last 150 years?
• How is the peace of the grave applied and interpreted by cemetery managers,   authorities, and the Church of Sweden?
• How can cemetery managers reuse and develop existing cemeteries without conflicting with legal, ethical or religious aspects?
• How are historical burial sites, such as hospital or cholera cemeteries without active burial rights, managed, and how could they be activated for new burials?

The three phases of the project

1. A document study and literature review on the peace of the grave.
2. An interview study among professionals in cemetery management, relevant authorities, and the Church of Sweden. This phase also includes a case study in Gothenburg, including on-site visits to a selection of cemeteries, document studies such as meeting minutes and local reports, and a focus group interview with employees in the cemetery administration.
3. An implementation and planning phase where the researchers, together with the reference group, organize a themed day on the peace of the grave targeting cemetery managers in Sweden. In this phase, discussions will also take place on how the project can contribute to national guidelines for the reuse of cemeteries.

The research team

The project is led by two senior researchers, with the project leader having extensive national and international experience in research, publishing, and networking within the theme of cemeteries.

The project is carried out in close collaboration with a reference group consisting of key stakeholders in the cemetery authority in the Nordic region, as well as three experienced researchers with diverse disciplinary backgrounds. With this broad engagement in the project, societal relevance is well-grounded, and the results will be communicated both internationally and nationally through publications, presentations, and a thematic day.