Date of publishing:
15.12.2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21104/CL.2025.4.05
The Český lid provides open access to all of its content under licenseCreative Commons Attribution NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International.
Abstract:
The case study examines the Islamic Cemetery in Altach as an award-winning art project and as an expression of the history of migration. It is based on field research that included non-participant observation, a critical analysis of scholarly literature, an analysis of photo documentation and the self-presentations of the communities. The cemetery, which is the first of its kind in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, serves various Islamic communities and reflects the transformations of funerary culture in the context of migration and integration. The case study examines the specific features of the tombstones, and their materials and decoration. Primarily, it shows how the cemetery contributes to forming the identity of younger generations of Muslim immigrants in Austria. It also analyzes the social and cultural aspects that influence the perception of the cemetery as a final resting place and as a symbol of the coexistence of different faiths.
Keywords
Austria; Islam; cemetery; funeral culture; migration; integration
Article Text
References
Literatura
Abadžić Hodžić, Aida. 2020. Mosque Architecture for the Bosniak Community in Europe: Challenges of Modernity. In: Al Naim, Mashary A. – Al-Ajmi, Mohammed – Al-Huneidi, Hani M. – Khattab, Omar (eds.): The Mosque: A Cross-Cultural Building. Kuwait City: Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture and College of Architecture at Kuwait University: 21–38.
Akšamija, Azra. 2020. Cultivating Convergence: The Islamic Cemetery Altach, Austria. In: Akšamija, Azra (ed.): Architecture of Coexistence Building Pluralism. Berlin: ArchiTangle: 228–241.
Bauer, Dominique – Mattes, Astrid. 2021. Austria. In: Akgönül, Samim – Nielsen, Jørgen S. – Alibašić, Ahmet – Müssig, Stephanie – Račius, Egdūnas (eds.): Yearbook of Muslims in Europe 14. Leiden: Brill: 34–59.
Boss, Günther. 2017. Islamische Begräbnisstätte in Liechtenstein. In: Marxer, Wilfried – Sochin D´Elia, Martina – Boss, Günther – Çiçek, Hüseyin I.: Islam in Liechtenstein. Demografische Entwicklung, Vereinigungen, Wahrnehmungen, Herausforderungen. Bericht im Auftrag der Regierung des Fürstentums Liechtenstein. Bendern: Liechtenstein-Institut: 100–108.
Burtscher-Mathis, Simon. 2020. The Islamic Cemetery as an Expression of the Process of Muslim Belonging in Vorarlberg. In: Akšamija, Azra: Architecture of Coexistence Building Pluralism. Berlin: ArchiTangle: 242–251.
Dörler, Elisabeth. 2004. Eine Begräbnisstätte für Muslime und Musliminnen in Vorarlberg [on-line]. Dornbirn: okay. zusammen leben / Projektstelle für Zuwanderung und Integration. Available at: www.okay-line.at/file/656/islamischerfriedhofstudie.pdf
Fabach, Robert. 2020. Islamic Cemetery Altach, Austria. In: Akšamija, Azra: Architecture of Coexistence Building Pluralism. Berlin: ArchiTangle: 194–227.
Fernando Márquez, Cecilia – Levene, Richard. 2019. Bernardo Bader 2009/2019. Madrid: El Croquis.
Friedhofsgebührenordnung IFA (Islamischer Friedhof Altach). 2013. Gemeinde Altach [on-line]. [2025-03-31]. Dostupné z: altach.at/app/uploads/sites/3/2022/01/Friedhofsordnung-Islamischer-Friedhof-Altach-2018.pdf
Fürlinger, Ernst. 2010. The politics of non‑recognition: mosque construction in Austria. In: Allievi, Stefano (ed.): Mosques in Europe. Why a solution has become a problem. London: Alliance Publishing Trust: 183–216.
Gehl, Jan. 2012. Města pro lidi. Brno: Nadace Partnerství.
Gökhan, Mura. 2022. Sessiz Bir Diyalog Mekânı: Avusturya Altach Müslüman Mezarlığı. Mimarlık 428: 41–45.
Grabherr, Eva. 2022a. „Häuser, Kinder und Gräber – das nennt man Heimat.“ Der Islamische Friedhof Altach als Ausdruck und Generator der Etablierung und Beheimatung von Muslim*innen in Vorarlberg. In: Barnay, Markus – Rudigier, Andreas (eds.): Vorarlberg. Ein Making-of in 50 Szenen. Objekte/Geschichte/Ausstellungspraxis. Bielefeld: transkript: 217–225.
Grabherr, Eva. 2022b. The Islamic Cemetery Altach. History of the Project. Dornbirn: okay.zusammen leben/Advice Centre for Immigration and Integration.
Grabherr, Eva – Akšamija, Azra. 2020. Eva Grabherr in conversation with Azra Akšamija. In: Akšamija, Azra: Architecture of Coexistence Building Pluralism. Berlin: ArchiTangle: 252–261.
van Gennep, Arnold. 2018. Přechodové rituály. Systematické studium rituálů. Praha: Portál.
Grabherr, Eva – Dörler, Elisabeth. 2006. Eine Begräbnisstätte für Muslime und Musliminnen in Vorarlberg [on-line]. Dornbirn: okay. zusammen leben/Projektstelle für Zuwanderung und Integration. Available at: www.okay-line.at/file/656/broschureislamischerfriedhof.pdf
Graham, Harriet. 2013. Islamic Cemetery. Altach, Austria. In: Mostafavi, Mohsen (ed.): Architecture is Life. Baden: Lars Müller Publishers: 200–215.
Hafez, Farid. 2016. Austria. In: Bayrakli, Enes – Hafez, Farid (eds.): Europea Islamophobia Report 2015. Ankara: SETA: 21–48.
Hakim, Negar – Bader, Bernardo. 2023. Wie kann ein Friedhof islamisch sein? Negar Hakim im Gepräch mit Bernardo Bader. Kunst und Kirche 86, 3: 24–29.
Klapetek, Martin. 2017. Muslim Areas at Municipal Cemeteries in Germany and Austria. Studia religiologica 50, 3: 203–220. doi.org/10.4467/20844077SR.17.013.7746
Klapetek, Martin. 2022. Islam in the Public Space. Building mosques and setting up sections for Muslims in municipal cemeteries in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Berlin: Peter Lang Verlag.
Klapetek, Martin. 2023. The Central Cemetery in Vienna: Past and Present of Muslim Areas. Material Religion 19, 5: 457–481. doi.org/10.1080/17432200.2023.2285585
Klapetek, Martin. 2024. Historické souvislosti současné integrace muslimů v Rakousku. In: Černý, Karel (ed.): Nad Evropou půlměsíc II. Muslimové v Česku a v sousedních německy hovořících zemích. Praha: Karolinum: 42–59.
Lemmen, Thomas. 1999. Islamische Bestatungen in Deutschland. Altenberge: Verlag für Christlich – Islamisches Schrifttum.
Milewski, Nadja – Otto, Danny. 2016. The Importance of a Religious Funeral Ceremony Among Turkish Migrants and Their Descendants in Germany: What Role do Sociodemographic Characteristics Play? Journal of Intercultural Studies 37, 2: 162–178. doi.org/10.1080/07256868.2016.1141760
Mori, Toshiko. 2013. Innovation and Judgement. In: Mostafavi, Mohsen (ed.): Architecture is Life. Baden: Lars Müller Publishers: 46–49.
Mostafavi, Mohsen. 2013. Architecture is Life. In: Mostafavi, Mohsen (ed.): Architecture is Life. Baden: Lars Müller Publishers : 9–25.
Nešpor, Zdeněk R. 2016. Evangelické hřbitovy v Česku: nekrogeografická perspektiva. Geografie 121, 1: 187–207. doi.org/10.37040/geografie2016121010187
Nešporová, Olga. 2013. Století proměn v pohřbívání. Český lid 100, 2: 183–204.
Roháček, Jiří (ed.). 2019. Epigraphica et Sepulcralia 8. Fórum epigrafických a sepulkrálních studií. Praha: Artefactum.
Schindlauer, Dieter. 2020. Austria: Austria – Oscillating Between Acceptance, Ignorance, and Hostility. In: Saral, Melek – Bahçecik, Şerif Onur (eds.): State, Religion and Muslims Between Discrimination and Protection at the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Levels. Leiden: Brill: 37–38.
Schrodt, Anna-Veronika. 2009. Versöhnte Verschiedenheit und letzte Wohnung. Kultur- und sozialanthropologische Betrachtungen zu Bestattungsmöglichkeiten von in Österreich lebenden MuslimInnen türkischer Herkunft. Wien: Universität Wien.
Sörries, Reiner. 2015. Von Mekka bis Berlin. Archäologie und Kulturgeschichte des islamischen Friedhofs. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag.
Uludağ, Özgür. 2023. Islamische Bestattungen in Deutschland. Entscheidungskriterien bei der Ortswahl des Grabes. Münster: LIT Verlag.
Wolf, Florian. 2015. Der Islam in Europa. Einfluss und Auswirkungen auf die europaische Rechtsordnung. Wien: Universität Wien.
Zelinski, Wilbur. 2007. The Gravestone Index: Tracking Personal Religiosity Across Nations, Regions, and Periods. Geographical Review 97, 4: 441–466. doi.org/10.1111/j.1931-0846.2007.tb00406.x