THE ISLAMIC CEMETERY ALTACH Project History Vorarlberg: Land of Many Responsible for the contents: okay.zusammen leben/advice center for immigration and integration (Verein Aktion Mitarbeit) www.okay-line.at Text: Eva Grabherr In the past 150 years, Vorarl- draw on our experience. And we are Translation: syn.tactic translations berg has become a new home for not the only ones to live through and Dornbirn, April 2013 many and varied groups of immig- shape such transformations. We share Images and layout: atelier stecher Print: BUCHER Hohenems rants: among them have been Italian- this history with many other European speaking and German-speaking regions and countries. migrants from Trentino and South A more recent event in this Tyrol as well as migrants from Austri- history, which was shaped by people with support from an states where the Alemannic dialect too, is the establishment of the first is not spoken. Others came to Vorarl- Islamic cemetery in Vorarlberg, in berg as “Gastarbeiter” (migrant Altach in June 2012. It is open to workers). Arriving from Serbia, members of all the Islamic communi- Bosnia, Croatia or Turkey, they spoke ties living in any of Vorarlberg’s rural This brochure was published to mark the various languages and had different and urban districts. The opening was exhibition “Innenansicht Südost – Erkundungen islamischer Glaubensräume” (A Southeast Interior religious beliefs. The list is by no preceded by a process lasting several View: Exploring Islamic Sites of Belief), which means exhaustive. It is the history of years and involved many years of ran from 9 April to 29 June 2013 at the Vorarlberg newcomers finding their way, settling people working together towards a Architecture Institute (VAI). www.v-a-i-at down and becoming part of establis- common goal that transcended hed structures and, in a parallel religious and institutional boundari- process, it is the history of change. es. This brochure tells about this The growing diversity of Vorarlberg cooperation – an example that it’s – both as a state and a society – is possible. therefore not a new story. We can 1_Why does Vorarlberg need a burial site for Muslims? Because the people of the Muslim population group are getting older and the number of those who wish to be buried in Vorarlberg according to the rules of their religion is growing.. In 2011, approximately 38.000 retire; the vast majority, however, Muslims were living in Vorarlberg. do not. Even if they do return to their Making up 10% of the total residential country of origin, these elderly population, they constituted the people do not stay because their second largest religious group after children and grandchildren have often the Catholics. Muslims make up 6% of acquired Austrian citizenship and the Austrian population. They came bought houses and flats here. These The Cemetery as immigrants, starting in the 1960s: developments form the backdrop to Turkish and Bosnian migrant workers, the establishment of the first Islamic refugees of the Yugoslav wars in the burial site in Vorarlberg. The Islamic Cemetery Altach is The cemetery falls under the jurisdiction of: 1990s and from Chechnya in recent open to members of all Islamic com- the municipality of Altach years or people with different migra- munities living in any of Vorarlberg’s Funding: tion backgrounds from countries in rural and urban districts who wish to Vorarlberg municipalities, State of Vorarlberg, donations from the Islamic Communities of be buried according to Islamic rites. North Africa and south-east Asia. Vorarlberg, burial and grave fees and charges Migrants mostly constitute a The cemetery comprises burial areas younger segment of the population for approximately 700 graves, a facility Architect: DI Bernardo Bader, Dornbirn than the resident population. As they for ritual washing, a covered area for www.bernardobader.com settle down more permanently in taking leave of the deceased and a their host country, their age structure, small prayer room. The burial areas Local construction supervisor: Thomas Marte (master builder), Dornbirn however, approaches that of long- have been laid out so that the deceased term residents. First-generation can be buried according to the ritually “Kunst am Bau” (“Art within architecture”) / installation Prayer room: migrant workers in Vorarlberg are correct alignment of their bodies with Azra Akšamija, www.mit.edu/~azra/ approaching retirement age or have Mecca. In the prayer room the art in- already retired. The number of people stallation “Schindel-Mihrab” (“Shingle The cemetery is operated and maintained by: Mihrab”) shows the direction of prayer the municipality of Altach over sixty with a migration back- www.altach.at/buergerservice/bestattung/ ground is growing. Some return to towards Mecca. The carpet was hand- islamischer-friedhof-altach their country of origin when they woven by women in Sarajevo. Discussion with representatives of Vorarlberg’s Islamic communities at the completed cemetery, April 2012. Photo: N. Walter. 2_Where did Muslims in Vorarlberg used to be buried? At individual municipal cemeteries – most of the deceased were, however, repatriated. Ritually correct Islamic burials have not been possible in Vorarlberg until now.. In an Islamic burial, it is religiously important for the grave Survey of the building site in 2007: imams are to be facing Mecca and for the dead to rest in a community of helping to determine the correct position Muslims. This rule of burying people of the same religious denomi- of the burial areas in nations together on one site is also shared by other faiths. From the direction of Mecca. Private photo. the end of the nineteenth century, this resulted in the establish- ment of municipal cemeteries in multireligious European towns and cities with demarcated burial areas for Catholics, Protestants, Jews etc. In the past few years, this model has been used in indivi- dual Austrian cities (Vienna, Linz, Innsbruck, Graz etc.) to establish Islamic burial sites at or through the extension of existing cemete- ries. The Islamic Religion in Vorarlberg The first independent Islamic cemetery was opened in Vienna in 2008. One reason was to ease the situation of the Islamic The Islamic religion in Vorarlberg is organized around commu- burial grounds at Vienna’s Central Cemetery nity associations formed according to countries of origin (Turkey, Bos- in view of the increasing number of funerals. nia, Chechnya etc.) and religious denominations (Sunni, Alevi). These The Viennese burial site is denominational communities maintain the mosques and assembly rooms and attend to and operated by the Islamic Faith Community many of the believers’ religious needs. In Austria, the relationship bet- in Austria (IGGiÖ). In contrast, the Altach ween the state and the Islamic religion is regulated in such a way that cemetery is a municipal cemetery – operated Islam is one of the 14 religious denominations (churches) recognized by by Altach on behalf of the other Vorarlberg the state, and Islamic Alevism is one of the 11 registered religious com - municipalities – that is open to Muslims from munities. The Islamic Community in Austria (IGGiÖ) is recognized by the all of the state’s municipalities. state as the official representative of Islam in Austria. Its representative in Vorarlberg is the Islamic Community Bregenz. The official representa - tive of the Islamic Alevi is the Alevi Religious Community of Austria (IAGÖ). Working together with these organizations, the state regulates miscellaneous matters, such as religious education, the denominational school system, military pastoral care etc. Further information on Islam in Vorarlberg: www.okay-line.at/Modul Wissen. Outer wall with star ornaments, April 2012 (The octagonal star is an old and frequently used ornament of Islamic art and architec- ture). Photo: N. Walter. Funeral and burial site requirements according to the Islamic understanding of faith Facing Mecca Only burials in the ground Eternal rest Cemeteries Graves must face Mecca so that the de- Only burials in the ground are permit- As a matter of principle, a grave should Traditionally, Islamic cemeteries should ceased are ready for prayer on the Day ted so that the whole person may be never be disturbed. Normally, the burial be situated outside of settlements (Isla- of Resurrection and are united together, resurrected. People for whom a burial plot cannot be vacated because the de- mic and Jewish burial practices are even in death, with other Muslims who in the ground is not possible because – ceased remains here to await resurrec- similar in this point and as well as in the prostrate themselves in prayer towards at their time of death – their bodies tion on the Day of Judgement. This is need for burials in the ground and for Mecca. were destroyed through accidents or the reason why cemeteries should not burial plots not to be vacated). In large wars are considered to be witnesses of be relocated. Due to the lack of cemete- cities, such as Istanbul or Ankara, there No mixed-faith burial plots the Faith, for whom there is a dispensa- ry sites, particularly in urban centres, are, however, cemeteries surrounded by Every Muslim is supposed to live and tion. there is, however, Islamic legal opinion residential areas as a result of urban also be buried within the umma (the – even in Islamic countries like Turkey expansion. Islamic religious community). In princip- – which, in emergency cases, permits Source: Elisabeth Dörler, Eine Begräbnisstätte für le, mixed-faith burials or burials, for a further Muslim burial in an Islamic Muslime und Musliminnen in Vorarlberg, 2004. example, in a Christian cemetery are grave. This only applies if the remains therefore a violation of this command- of the person previously buried there ment. Besides their own cemeteries, are no longer expected to be found and burial areas for Muslims in communal if the person to be buried is also a Mus- cemeteries are also suitable places of lim.