Two undertakers in the
north-western German city of Cologne are trying to tap into the gay market by
selling coffins adorned with images of male nudes.
The prize piece in their display
window is a coffin decorated with images of mostly naked, muscular young men in
athletic poses inspired by Italian Renaissance paintings.
The unconventional coffin, which
costs $2,300, has aroused fascination among customers, according to undertaker
Thomas Brandl: “People are really interested because it’s so unique.
Reactions have been very positive so far.”
Brandl, 32, and his 34-year-old
business partner Michael Koenigsfeld, said they had branched out into the gay
market in order to satisfy the increasing number of special requests they
received.
“Even though the Lord Mayor of
Berlin, the vice-chancellor and many others openly admit to being homosexual
nowadays, marginal groups still face prejudices and bureaucratic hurdles,”
the pair said in a statement.
They said they provided an
individual and different service which offered “a warm and fantastical departure
for same-sex couples.”
The gay couple also sell coffins
and urns in rainbow colors — the international symbol of the gay and lesbian
movement — and offer burials around a tree reserved exclusively for homosexuals.
Given estimates which suggest that
around one in ten of Cologne’s population is homosexual, Brandl and Koenigsfeld
are well placed to serve the gay community.
The pair also caters for the
heterosexual market in an unconventional way, giving customers the opportunity
to get involved in designing coffins for their loved ones.
“You can choose different
colours and designs,” Brandl said. “You could go for Cologne’s
skyline or lots of women on your coffin. A grandmother might like images of her
grandchildren on hers — there are loads of possibilities.”
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