Bizarre tombstone must go. The garish orange statue of the deceased was too much for the cemetery

The anabasis surrounding the disputed tombstone began three years ago, when the parents buried their 25-year-old son Ricardo. As a gravestone, they had a 155-centimeter-high statue of their child created, the Südwestrundfunk television station reported.

Criticism of the design quickly gained momentum, however, because Ricardo’s figure is a very conspicuous element among the other graves. The municipal administration therefore ordered the removal of the tombstone, saying that the statue damages the dignity of the cemetery.

In addition, the figure is twice as tall as the agreement was, and the “signal” orange color was also not discussed, according to the city hall. Residents of Wallhausen also complained, according to whom the statue, with its size and color, destroys the memory of the dead and the atmosphere at funerals.

“Changing Cemetery Culture”

However, Ricardo’s parents refused to dismantle the tombstone and turned to the administrative court in Stuttgart in an attempt to overturn the municipality’s decision. “The statue helps us cope with the grief of losing a child. The change in cemetery culture has apparently not reached Wallhausen yet,” they said in the lawsuit.

But the judges did not listen to them. Before passing the verdict, they came to the village in person to get their own impression. Ricardo’s parents’ complaint was dismissed this week, saying that the cemetery serves as a communal burial ground and that “sensational” or otherwise disturbing tombstones are not appropriate.