A stir in Salzburg

Macabre corpse transport divides opinion

Coffin bearers at the luncheon cause a stir.(Bild: zVg, Krone KREATIV)

Funeral speaker defends morticians' actions after "Krone" report, ex-corpse chauffeur takes aim at home management after coffin transport through the dining room of a Salzburg retirement home.

Death has been a deeply rooted topic in Salzburg society ever since the world-famous "Everyman". Nevertheless, the current debate surrounding a macabre transport of corpses on Easter Monday is causing a stir. As reported by the "Krone" newspaper, the body of a deceased person was carted past the well-attended lunch table of a local retirement home on April 1st. To the horror of an eyewitness.

Toni Eisenhuber defends the morticians: "It would have been more irreverent to take the body away without a coffin or through the cellar."(Bild: Daniel Scharinger)

While the head of the home blames the morticians, a former body chauffeur speaks plainly: "I worked for the municipal undertakers for 25 years, in my day this wouldn't have happened. It should have been dealt with by the home management," says Alois Rachbauer.

Pallbearers at the lunch table raise the roof.(Bild: zVg, Krone KREATIV)

Funeral orator: "Removal without a coffin would be disrespectful"
The funeral speaker in charge, Toni Elsenhuber, would like to see more openness: "I would like to defend the funeral directors, the procedure was perfectly fine. It would have been more irreverent to take the body away without a coffin or even through the cellar." Incidentally, the deceased in the coffin was buried recently.