Hungary’s gravediggers compete to dig the best grave
Translated from Romanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
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Outcome reported
- Thirty-eight contestants in 19 two-person teams competed in a Hungarian cemetery to dig graves quickly and accurately.
- The winning pair completed a regulation grave in 1 hour and 21 minutes and shared a prize of 200,000 forints, about $640.
A cemetery in northern Hungary became the setting for an unusual competition on Saturday, as 38 contestants picked up pickaxes and shovels to compete in grave digging.
The Hungarian Association of Cemetery Managers and Operators organized the event to highlight the skills required in the profession and to break taboos surrounding death. At the public cemetery in Nyergesújfalu, the dry, sun-cracked ground tested 19 teams of two.
Speed is the most important thing here, not beauty.
The competitors raced to dig the fastest grave, but elegance also counted. “Speed is the most important thing here, not beauty,” said Róbert Nagy, who won alongside László Kiss. He added that professional gravediggers must carefully follow exact dimensions and ensure that the grave is neatly shaped.
The winning team dug a grave 1.6 meters deep, 2 meters long and 0.8 meters wide in 1 hour and 21 minutes. Nagy and Kiss shared a cash prize of 200,000 Hungarian forints, worth about $640.
When you have to dig a grave for a funeral, you have to be very careful about the exact dimensions and make sure it is neatly shaped.
About this summary
Originally published by Adevărul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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