Digging up graves

[varsovian]

Sorry to be morbid but ...
Polish cemeteries routinely dig up graves and dispose of the bodies.
Does anyone know what the usual length of leasehold is on a grave?

By the way, where do they chuck the skeletons? I haven't seen any sign of
mass unmarked graves.

[minimus]

AFAIK it depends on what type of lease it is. They will tell you in the
secretariat (if you can ask them in Polish). I was pretty shocked as well when
I found out. I'm not sure if it concerns all cemeteries though.

[sobieski010]

In my native Belgium, graves are also for a 5- or 10-year period, or untill the
cemetery is full, and then they start to remove the oldest graves.
Exceptions are listed cemeteries (usually around churches) which are regarded as
being together with the listed church.

In case of removal, they try to trace next of kin, which then can take home
memento (such as photos etc.)
Later the remains are put together in a common grave.

[portulaco]

My father-in-law grave here in Łódź had to be repaid again after 20 years.

Next to his grave is barried a 16 year old boy, unfortunatly murdered 20 years ago.

His family doesn't give a damn about the grave so in case of non-payment somebody will be berried there soon and his bones put in the sides of the new coffin.

In Portugal the bones of those who don't have no more place are berried in a common grave or burned.