Entire town stunned

Money gone from mortuary

The donation box has disappeared from this mortuary

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

A small village in the Hausruckviertel is stunned: after a tragic death, a donation box was placed in the mortuary right next to the coffin to collect money for the son of the deceased. But the box disappeared, the "Krone" knows the background

Unbelievable things happened last week in the 700-strong community of Heiligenberg in the district of Grieskirchen, as has only now become known: A donation box set up in the local funeral parlor containing several hundred euros has gone - presumably stolen.

Son wants to continue his father's life's work
Money that would have been intended as start-up capital for the 16-year-old son of the deceased. After the early death of his father, the boy wanted to continue his father's life's work on the family farm and would have used the money as long as the accounts were blocked. This option was taken away from him: Last Wednesday, mourners were able to bid farewell to the deceased farmer from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the funeral parlor.

(Bild: APA/HERBERT NEUBAUER)

Funeral director shocked
During this time, the locked donation box was also placed right next to the coffin. "The hall was locked overnight. When the gravedigger unlocked it the next morning at around 6 a.m., the box was still there. When our employee got there at around 8.30 a.m., it was gone," explains Daniela Pfleger from the Klaffenböck funeral home in Neukirchen/Walde.

First such incident
She reported the theft to the police, who confirmed that they are investigating. "We've been setting up the box at funerals for 15 years, and nothing like this has ever happened before. It's totally disrespectful, it's madness," says the mortician.

It's totally irreverent, it's madness.

Daniela Pfleger, Bestatterin

Several hundred euros worth of damage
She estimates that several hundred euros had already been collected, some in envelopes with personal words to the bereaved family. Whether this form of financial support will continue in the future is unclear. "However, we have found that many people find it too complicated to transfer the money," says Pfleger.

"Who does this?"
Anna Roiter is a parish council representative in Heiligenberg and knows the bereaved personally: "Nobody in the village can understand who would do something like this. The family has been through enough anyway, anyone would have given them the money."

Kommentar

Gibt es denn keine Grenzen mehr?

Anything that isn't nailed down is stolen. At least that is the opinion of a broad section of the population, which also coincides with the experiences of a local editor. And apparently there are no longer any limits.

(Bild: Markus Wenzel, adobe.stock.com, Krone KREATIV)

Sneaking into a mortuary and stealing money right next to the coffin can hardly be beaten for audacity. It's hard to imagine how the thieves open envelopes with personal words to the mourners and carelessly throw them away before pocketing the money. Whether you are a believer or not, the repose of the dead should be sacred to everyone.