Significant cemeteries

How do we recognize them?
Mission of ASCE is to promote European cemeteries as a fundamental part of the heritage of the humanity and raise European citizen awareness of the importance of significant cemeteries.

In order to achieve this mission it is important to know how to recognize significance of the cemeteries. For this reason we have outlined the following procedure which takes place at accepting any new cemeteries to be listed as significant:
  • any ASCE cemetery organization (not personal or research institution) member may propose a significant cemetery that they manage (important for being able to participate in ASCE activities);
  • therefore it is important to become a member as cemetery organization of ASCE if you are not already one;
  • member fills out a cemetery application form and must provide cemetery description to ASCE secretariat;
  • secretariat performs basic checking of description and other materials;
  • after all requirements are met, cemetery is listed for further checking by ASCE Steering Committee;
  • secretariat provides materials to ASCE Steering Committee members;
  • at Steering Committee meetings (2 times a year) decisions about accepting new proposed members are voted;
  • all the confirmed cemeteries are promoted and finalizing activities are taking place (listing in databases, sending instructions, etc);

Most important part of the procedure is providing cemetery description and materials which consists of:
  • Official name and name translated into English
  • Basic contact and management data (ownership, management organization which is mandatory, country and city of cemetery)
  • Basic statistical data (number of graves, size, type (landscape, military, religious, other),...)
  • Basic cultural data (nationalities and religions present in the cemetery)
  • Important graves (important for their monumental interest or person buried)
  • Other description why the cemetery is considered significant
  • Photos of 5 most important points of interest (graves, monuments, landscape)
  • Other relevant data for visitors and researchers
  • If available, programmes of research, conservation and preservation that are (and will be) present at the cemetery
It is important to note that this materials are important not just to get listed but as well to reach the mission of ASCE and mostly to help members better understand their cemetery if they did not already gather this data.

This description together with other materials provides as well input for website and other communication tools.