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Strange phenomenon: many dead in Geneva cemeteries did not decompose
Some cemeteries in western Switzerland are struggling with a peculiar phenomenon: buried corpses no longer decompose due to heavily compacted soil. In Geneva in particular, the authorities have a problem with slow decomposition.
The director of the Geneva city cemetery and funeral office, Anne Humbert-Droz, confirmed the corresponding articles in “24 Heures” and “Tribune de Genève” on Tuesday. The two newspapers spoke to Vincent Varlet, who works at the University of Legal Medicine in Lausanne, Switzerland.
According to the expert, the poor decomposition of the corpses is mainly due to the nature of the soil, which is sometimes very compacted and poorly ventilated. “Because there is less oxygen, the floors settle over time and suffocate. This will stop the decomposition processes, “said Varlet.
Compacted soil was already a problem in the 19th century. Saint-Georges Cemetery in Geneva. (File Image) Image: KEYSTONE
Lack of oxygen and compressed soil can also be a problem for the microorganisms, beetles, and worms involved in decomposition.
The problem of soils was already recognized in Geneva in the 19th century. In 1880, when the location of the Saint-Georges cemetery was determined, the authorities raised this problem. Due to a thick, compact layer of clay, they concluded that decomposition would not take place or would take place very slowly.
Studies are currently being carried out on this subject in the cemeteries of Saint-Georges, Châtelaine and Petit-Saconnex in Geneva. (cma / sda)
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