This became apparent following an independent investigation into the situation commissioned by the municipality, which has been in progress since last summer. The report was published on Wednesday and the municipal council is “shocked” by the results, councilor Marc Merx said on behalf of the council.
The problem at Essenhof is that bodies in the cellar graves do not completely decay because there is insufficient oxygen available to the graves. There may be 1,200 bodies in the cemetery, the researchers said. Since 2013, coffins have been opened by cemetery employees and treated with substances to promote decomposition.
Just up to here, panels are placed back next to Margraten cemetery
Surviving relatives were informed of the research results during a meeting. This concerns “the stakeholders of thirty graves”, according to the municipality, which says that this was done under the guidance of Victim Support. They are given the opportunity to “talk about it in personal conversations.”
Dordrecht apologizes
“This is serious and should never have happened this way,” Merx said about the excavations. Despite good intentions, he believes, insufficient attention has been paid to its significance for loved ones. “These kinds of far-reaching measures should never have taken place without their knowledge or consent. The sad thing is that we can’t make things right anymore, because we can’t reverse it. I think that’s terrible and I apologize for that on behalf of the council.”
The municipality says that the Public Prosecution Service (OM) and the labor inspectorate have been informed “given the seriousness of the facts”, but that they see no reason for an investigation.
The study also found that employees conducting the excavations may have been exposed to health risks because they may not have been done correctly. Research institute TNO is conducting further research into this.
Dordrecht is asking for “national support” to solve the problem surrounding the cellar graves. It is common knowledge that other cemeteries in the Netherlands are also looking for solutions when it comes to bodies that do not decay properly.