Russian media reported that in order to save gas, German crematoria began to “burn people in bulk” - from five people at a time. We have checked whether these reports are true.
About the new practice of German crematoria allegedly reported one of the Russian-speaking residents of Dresden, sharing his story in Russian Telegram-channels: “I live in Dresden. A week ago my grandfather died; he was 85 years old. <…> I was simply shocked when I saw a notice on the door of the crematorium that they work by appointment and cremate only in groups of five people.” Edition "Notebook" added: “The crematorium could not explain how to predict death and order cremation in advance. But the request to cremate my grandfather was refused.” About this news wrote several Russian Media, and was also told by TV presenter Evgeny Popov in the “60 Minutes” program on the “Russia 1” channel. According to him, after cremating several bodies at a time, “the resulting ashes are divided into five. Monstrous. But Germany is in NATO.” Social network users noted, that in Germany the practice of collective cremation was once used.
Gas shortage in Europe due to anti-Russian sanctions became a constant theme of Russian propaganda. Russian media regularly report, how the European Union is suffering from rising prices for fuel, gas and electricity - and all because of the sanctions that Europe itself has imposed against Russia. One such example became news about group cremations in Dresden.
A resident of Dresden, who allegedly shared the story on Telegram, also attached photo an advertisement in German that he saw on the door of the crematorium: “Dear customers, in order to save energy resources, we offer cremations only in groups of five people by appointment.” The poster features the logo of the funeral home. Bestattungshaus Werner Billing in Saxony.
On website The funeral home lists the services they provide, such as selecting a coffin, conducting a funeral ceremony, ordering flowers, resolving bureaucratic issues, etc. Cremation is not on this list. By words Director of Werner Billing Uwe Billing, his funeral home does not have a crematorium at all.
Moreover, according to German law about cemeteries and burials, cremation can only take place in cemetery crematoriums and not in funeral homes. Group cremation in Germany too prohibited. Our German colleagues from the publication Correctiv asked for comment from the Saxony Ministry of Social Protection, which is responsible for regulating burials. According to spokeswoman Julianne Morgenroth, group cremation is contrary laws Saxony. And even from a technical point of view, it is impossible - only one coffin fits into the cremation oven.
Earliest publication with a fake poster appeared on the Telegram channel of publicist Armen Gasparyan, and from there the fake spread across the RuNet. Most likely, the photograph and video The advertisement hanging on the door is genuine, since digital analysis showed no signs of photo manipulation. Only, apparently, this poster was not created by the Werner Billing funeral home, but by an unknown person for propaganda purposes. In fact, the information on the poster is not true and group cremations are not practiced in Germany even in conditions of gas savings.
Cover image: Facebook
Fake
Read on the topic:
- Correctiv. Einäscherung nur in Gruppen, um Gas zu sparen? Angebliches Schreiben eines Bestattungshauses ist gefälscht
- Is it true that due to the energy crisis, the Hamburg library announced a collection of books to burn them?
- Is it true that a poster appeared in the UK explaining heating problems as the need to help Ukrainians?
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