Angel wings sit firmly again thanks to grave godmother

The offer was very welcome. "These grave sponsorships were also officially incorporated into the cemetery statutes in 2018," says Peter Freier, Mayor and Chairman of the Operations Commission of ESO Eigenbetrieb. "This gives all committed Offenbach residents the opportunity to show their civic spirit in a very special and targeted way and to help maintain this beautiful site with its many unique graves."

"Grave sponsors sign a sponsorship agreement with the cemetery administration," explains Gabriele Schreiber, Head of Municipal Cemeteries. "They are then responsible for the condition of the grave, but in return they also have the right to use it and can have relatives buried there."

Dr. Syliva Mantz's parents are now buried under the angel. She has now had the figure restored. "The wings were damaged and threatened to break off," she explains, "but it wasn't so easy to find a craftsman who had the confidence to do it." The impressively shimmering figure is made of plaster, which was coated with a thin layer of copper. It was made by a predecessor company of WMF, which is known today for its cutlery, among other things. WMF had a galvanoplastics department at the turn of the century, which from 1900 onwards mainly produced such metal-coated plaster angels as grave figurines. These galvanoplastics were in great demand around 120 years ago. However, today's stonemasons turned her down when she enquired about a restoration, says the grave patron.

"I finally found a metalworker who soldered the angel in his workshop," she explains. Now the figure is back on the pedestal that she had already had refurbished at the beginning of her sponsorship, as is the border around the grave. The now repaired figure has primarily artistic and historical value, but no material value. Nevertheless, ESO Eigenbetrieb der Stadt Offenbach has secured it with an alarm system: Anything that looks like metal in cemeteries is often also potential stolen property.

In total, the grave sponsor has invested around 5,000 euros in the repair of the angel and the restoration of the base by a stonemason. "However, such financial commitment is not necessary for every grave sponsorship," emphasizes Christian Loose, deputy head of ESO Eigenbetrieb of the city of Offenbach. "Sometimes it is enough to remove unwanted vegetation and clean the old gravestone in the cemetery, which has existed since 1832, to make the inscription legible again or to reveal the contours of a carved figure." It can also be worthwhile to claim the right to use the burial site: Christian Loose points out that an earth grave costs around 2,000 euros for 30 years, which is not incurred by grave sponsors.

She would also like to be buried in this unique grave one day, says Dr. Mantz. "I'm completely relaxed about it. I have a great interest in cemeteries and always like to go there on vacation if I have the opportunity."

May 6, 2021