A collection of coffins in a Lausanne funeral home at the beginning of April
Keystone
Many Swiss resorted to panic-buying at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, unsure of what lay ahead. Funeral directors also stocked up – on coffins – and now, because the worst-case scenarios didn’t materialise, they have hundreds of excess caskets on their hands.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/ts
By March coronavirus had already caused thousands of deaths in Italy and undertakers in Switzerland were also preparing for a possible wave of deaths. Since March they have almost doubled their coffin production rate, according to a report in 20 Minuten.
Kurt Dänzer, a funeral director in Fribourg, told Swiss public radio, SRF, that 100 coffins were piled up in the company’s warehouse instead of the usual 60.
Huguenin Burials, which runs a funeral service around Bern and Solothurn, has the same problem. 20 Minuten reported in April that the company had prepared for the pandemic by ordering 400 coffins, saying it obviously hoped they wouldn’t all be needed but it was important to be prepared.
“This is very unusual. Normally we only have about 40 coffins in stock,” said CEO Kevin Huguenin.
More
More
Dealing with death on a daily basis
This content was published on
Earning a living through death: working as an undertaker certainly wouldn’t suit everyone, but Michael is anything but unhappy with his workday.
Managing these is almost impossible, according to undertaker and coffin maker Beni Hochuli in Bern. “You need a whole gymnasium to store them.”
‘Panic reaction’
Hochuli says that at the beginning of the pandemic he too felt the increased demand for coffins. He believes that some companies bought up hundreds as a panic reaction. “Even back then I found this ‘hamstering’ a bit exaggerated.”
But he stocked up as well, albeit minimally. “I have the advantage of being able to produce the coffins myself in an emergency,” he pointed out.
But he says the pandemic hasn’t had a great impact on his business. “I’ve had to deal with two cases of coronavirus in all. To be honest, I didn’t expect much more than that.”
More
More
What happens when you die on holiday in Switzerland?
This content was published on
A fall on a hiking path or a sudden heart attack could bring your Swiss holiday to an abrupt end. What next?
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Zurich arbitration authority rules in favour of tenants of ‘Sugus Houses’
This content was published on
A conciliation authority says the terminations of 105 flat leases in the so-called "Sugus Houses" in the centre of Zurich were abusive. The tenants therefore do not have to move out - at least for the time being.
This content was published on
Visitors to Switzerland spent CHF19.6 billion ($23.9 billion) last year, a 2.2% rise compared to the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) said on Monday.
This content was published on
Despite the current tense economic situation, Swiss consumer sentiment remains positive. The Swiss spent more money in May than the previous year, particularly on restaurant visits and leisure activities, as shown by the latest figures released by PostFinance.
This content was published on
A bear killed four sheep in the Lower Engadine region near Scuol, canton Graubünden, last week. This was the first bear attack on local livestock in four years.
This content was published on
Experts believe that economic development in Switzerland will be weaker in 2026 than the forecasts made three months ago. They have also lowered their predictions for the current year.
This content was published on
Fewer people in Switzerland have a religious affiliation and the proportion who practice their religion regularly is steadily declining, a survey finds.
Study: trees have major cooling effect even in extreme heat
This content was published on
Plane trees in cities have an important cooling effect even in extreme heat, according to a new study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL).
EPFL launches digitised version of Battle of Murten panorama
This content was published on
To mark the anniversary of the Battle of Murten on 22 June 1476, the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) has launched a website that offers the public an immersive experience of the huge panorama painting of the historic battle.
77th Swiss Gymnastics Festival praised for ‘positive energy’
This content was published on
The 77th Federal Gymnastics Festival drew to a close on Sunday in Lausanne, after eleven days of popular celebration and sporting performances.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Human ashes litter Swiss countryside
This content was published on
The liberal practice has resulted in entrepreneurs hawking some rather unusual services to people in other countries. According to Ewiges Alpenglühn (Eternal Alpine Glow), a Swiss company that arranges open-air funerals, EU citizens can have their ashes buried or scattered in the Swiss countryside as there is no obligation to be buried in a cemetery.…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.