River Burials Remain a Niche in Rhineland-Palatinate Despite Legalization

Nearly three-quarters of a year after river burials became legal in Rhineland-Palatinate, the practice has seen several dozen interments. Sebastian Trüb, co-owner of Rheinbestattung Mainz, one of the first companies to receive a permit, reported conducting "several dozen river burials." His company serves as a service provider for funeral homes across the state, handling cases from Mainz, Worms, Kaiserslautern, Landau, and northern Rhineland-Palatinate.

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We have already carried out several dozen river burials.

Many who choose river burials, where ashes are placed in water-soluble urns, have a connection to water, the Rhine, or shipping. Trüb noted that some individuals buried were captains who navigated container and tanker ships on the Rhine. Others were drawn to the idea of returning to the "eternal cycle" of life connected with water and its eventual merging with the sea.

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We are a service provider for funeral directors in the state. We are a contact point, the platform for funeral directors and do it on commission.

Despite these personal connections, Trüb believes river burials will remain a niche market. Ulrike Grandjean, deputy chairwoman of the Rhineland-Palatinate Funeral Directors Association, agrees, suggesting the demand has not met initial expectations. She noted that while the novelty initially attracted interest, the practical application has proven less popular, with her own business only receiving a preliminary arrangement for a river burial, not a direct request.

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The connection to water, the Rhine, or shipping is mostly the reason.

Permits for river burials are required, with the Structure and Licensing Directorate (SGD) North in Koblenz responsible for the northern part of the state. They have approved 31 river burials: 15 for the Moselle, 15 for the Rhine, and one for the Lahn. No applications have been received for the Saar River. Similarly, the SGD South, overseeing the Rhine between Maxau and Kaub, reports a modest number of approvals, with four granted and one pending. They have not observed an increase in funeral companies offering the service.

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They liked the idea of returning to this eternal cycle with water.