De vergeten klasse van de Zuiderbegraafplaats te Groningen

Samenvatting

The forgotten class of the Zuiderbegraafplaats (South Cemetery) of Groningen The research presented in this paper is part of a collaborative project between the RUG and the local authority of Groningen (Gemeente Groningen). The author performed literature and archival research on the South Cemetery of Groningen. Dating from 1827, it is one of the oldest existant cemeteries. The cemetery’s plan was marked by a division into zones destined for different classes, ranging from the first to the fifth class. The first class, right at the front, was the most expensive burial location, whereas the fifth class in the back of the cemetery was reserved for paupers who could not afford a proper funeral. Nowadays the fifth class has completely vanished from the cemetery and from almost all literary sources. This article seeks to provide possible explanations for the disappearance of the fifth class, but also raises wider questions about the formation of mortuary records in general.