GERMANY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Soccer fans in Germany choosing to be buried beside their team's stadium

Record ID: 572674

  • Title: GERMANY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Soccer fans in Germany choosing to be buried beside their team's stadium
  • Date: 31st July 2008
  • Summary: HAMBURG, GERMANY (JULY 29, 2008) (REUTERS) PAN FROM HSH NORDBANK ARENA TO CEMETERY HEADSTONES IN CEMETERY VARIOUS OF ONE HEADSTONE VARIOUS OF WORK BEING CARRIED OUT ON FAN CEMETERY PAN OVER BUILDING SITE (SOUNDBITE) (German) CHRISTIAN REICHERT, MEMBER OF HSV BOARD, SAYING: "It is the graveyard closest to the stadium, situated directly across the road from the stadium. And as we have had numerous requests over the years from people asking if they can have their ashes scattered across the pitch or have my urn buried under the penalty spot, both of which are not allowed in German law, we thought this would be a wonderful idea. We now have a one-off opportunity to build a graveyard like this directly across from the stadium." PAN OVER INSIDE OF HSH NORDBANK ARENA FANS SITTING IN STADIUM MAN CUTTING THE GRASS (SOUNDBITE) (German) CHRISTIAN REICHERT, MEMBER OF HSV BOARD, SAYING: "For me a cemetery is a place where you go to remember someone who has died. And this is the perfect opportunity to do this. Ninety percent of my family and friends are involved in HSV and after I die, they will continue to go to this stadium every fourteen days and then they will have a chance to visit my grave." VARIOUS OUTDOOR SHOTS OF FUNERAL DIRECTORS VARIOUS OF HSV COFFIN ON DISPLAY HSV SCARF, BOOTS AND BALL BESIDE COFFIN (SOUNDBITE) (German) THOMAS AMM, FUNERAL DIRECTOR, SAYING: "The reason behind it was that customers have come to us and asked if we were able to offer such products. Our intention was purely to accommodate people's emotions and create a funeral that went along with the traditions of HSV." HSV URN WIDE OF HSV COFFIN
  • Embargoed: 15th August 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA7FK61ZWCKAV2NWQE2R8XUSZ8X
  • Story Text: Die-hard fans of the northern German soccer team Hamburger SV, can now stay loyal to their team beyond the grave. They can choose to be buried in a new graveyard, the fan graveyard, which is located directly opposite HSV's Nordbank Arena.
    "It is the graveyard closest to the stadium, situated directly across the road from the stadium. And as we have had numerous requests over the years from people asking if they can have their ashes scattered across the pitch or have my urn buried under the penalty spot, both of which are not allowed in German law, we thought this would be a wonderful idea. We now have a one-off opportunity to build a graveyard like this directly across from the stadium," Christian Reichert of HSV's board told Reuters on Tuesday (July 29).
    The cemetery is currently being built in the shape of a football stand.
    When it is finished, it will also boast a goal-shaped entrance.
    But Reichert stresses that the graveyard is to be taken seriously.
    "For me a cemetery is a place where you go to remember someone who has died. And this is the perfect opportunity to do this. Ninety percent of my family and friends are involved in HSV and after I die, they will continue to go to this stadium every fourteen days and then they will have a chance to visit my grave," he said.
    But it's not just a final place of rest that is being offered to fans of HSV, but fully traditional funerals are also being organised.
    One local funeral director in Hamburg is now producing coffins in the HSV traditional blue colour and also offers urns with the words "Hamburg Sports Verein" embossed on them. He said the new venture is purely down to high demand.
    "The reason behind it was that customers have come to us and asked if we were able to offer such products. Our intention was purely to accommodate people's emotions and create a funeral that went along with the traditions of HSV," funeral director Thomas Amm told Reuters TV.
    Fans can also choose to be buried in the full HSV soccer strip.
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