The columbarium DIE EICHE in Lübeck

in the prime of life

It's November. A time for commemoration and remembrance. A time to pause. This is the perfect opportunity to dedicate Lübeck ZWISCHENZEILEN columbarium DIE EICHE at Untertrave 34 in Lübeck . Perhaps, as a distraction from the November fog and the crises around us, you would have preferred a recommendation for a cozy café. The topic of remembrance seems so burdensome at first. So much like: not that too. Like: I really don't want to do that. That may be true. On the other hand, visiting historical cemeteries and the graves of famous figures, like pausing at Jim Morrison's grave during a visit to Paris, is certainly not unusual.

I can promise you that you will leave the columbarium strengthened by fresh thoughts and new impulses. This is thanks to two dedicated and creative people: Peggy Morenz and Michael Angern, who, at the columbarium DIE EICHE, facilitate a novel approach to the great themes of life and death that have moved humanity since the beginning of time.

The Oak – The Mann family's granary

Lübeck has three columbaria: one in the Vorwerk Cemetery , one in St. Jakobi Church below the Pamir Memorial Chapel , where people who feel connected to seafaring and the sea find their final resting place, and the columbarium DIE EICHE (THE OAK), which opened in May 2024 in a truly historic location. The building that houses the columbarium was once the Mann family's granary . Grain was stored here as feed for horses. It was a profitable business until the storage of grain in bulk declined with increasing motorization, as carriages and wagons became obsolete. In his novel "Buddenbrooks," Thomas Mann mentions the granary, which his father, Senator Henry Mann, built in 1873.

The striking seven-story neo-Gothic building was one of seven warehouses owned by the Mann family. Incidentally, they all bore memorable names like Fish, Eagle, and Lion, which helped the dockworkers find their way around easily. When the current owners acquired the building, it was in dire need of renovation. After extensive restoration and remodeling, its green shutters have made it a popular spot for photographs, open to bereaved families and anyone who is curious or simply seeking a moment of peace.

Bright perspectives

A visit to the columbarium offers a surprisingly bright perspective on life. Here, where time seems to slow down and light gently caresses the walls, a feeling of security arises. It's an atmosphere that invites you to surrender to your own thoughts. The interior itself is so calming: warm colors, wooden beams, soft shadows. Every corner of this place is carefully considered, a space for remembering, reflecting, and letting go. Peggy Morenz and Michael Angern left nothing to chance. Years of research, conversations, and expert discussions went into the design. "Not arbitrary" is the guiding principle of the initiators, who oriented themselves toward the building's unique character when designing the space. Peggy has an unerring sense for color, materials, and form.

As an experienced product manager in the porcelain industry and designer of porcelain urns, she has developed her own unique style. Michael is a trained forester and worked as an entrepreneur developing software for funeral homes. Therefore, their connection to the themes of remembrance and mourning, which are central to the columbarium, existed long before the realization of their project on the Untertrave.

Counterpoints – Becoming and passing away

You reach the central hall through a small passageway where a figure of the Archangel Michael awaits you, the patron saint and vanquisher of evil, who defeated the dragon of darkness (Lucifer) with his sword. The ceremonial hall resembles a three-aisled basilica. A light installation immediately captivates you upon entering. Its warm light instantly envelops you.

Find a seat on one of the wooden benches and let the installation by Swiss artist Madlaina Lys work its magic on you: 12,703 seemingly fragile porcelain tiles scatter the light. It's wonderful how you can already sense something here: are these ascending souls? Or perhaps soft, downy bird feathers? I spontaneously think of little notes that carry our thoughts to the afterlife.

Also striking is the delicate floral arrangement beneath the light installation. Only plants native to our region and season are included in the arrangements at the EICHE. During my visit, these were plants that were still blooming along the path in late October.

The composition is loosely arranged. This reveals details that wouldn't be visible in a lavish floral arrangement. The understated arrangement of grasses and blossoms evokes a soothing sense of calm.

I had never heard of the instrument in the EICHE (Oak) before. It's a celesta . Here, too, the decision was made after a lengthy deliberation. The instrument, along with the light fixture and the flowers, was intended to have the character of a "serving" instrument – ​​as Peggy Morenz puts it – as the third defining element of the ceremonial hall. So, instead of an organ, a celesta, also known as a celestial instrument, was chosen. Peggy Morenz plays me the famous " Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy " from Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker ." And yes: the celesta, with its delicate, invigorating sound, balances the effect of the massive wooden beams that support the storage floors.

"Fear not death, but an unfulfilled life."

Socrates, 469 BC – 399 BC BC

Signs of life

The two upper floors contain the urn graves, each with a unique design. In the large hall facing the Untertrave river, the water of the Trave flowing below seems to be reflected in the walls. A heavy wooden table—also adorned with a floral arrangement—invites you to sit down, write your thoughts, and deposit them in a letter safe. No one will read them, but your thoughts will become part of the overall composition of the EICHE (Oak) memorial.

Ensuring that something remains. This is the motivation of the couple who run the cemetery. Cemetery culture is undergoing profound change. Often, at least a gravestone with a name remains. But more and more people are choosing anonymous burials. The memory of them and their lives, with everything that defined them, is then "as if erased," say Peggy and Michael. Their aim is to preserve a cultural memory. Every person has their own unique story. These stories are given space in the EICHE cemetery through text, images, or objects. Remembering within a cultural context – this is achieved in an almost magical way in the four galleries and four libraries, each dedicated to a theme of humanity. For example, small display cases are placed in front of the urn burial chambers, where memories can be presented.

Some of the niches are already filled with staged mementos. Around 40 interments have taken place since the opening in May. Each one is carefully designed and adorned with lovingly placed mementos. And you immediately ask yourself: What remains? What do I want to leave behind for the world? What can I do today to ensure they are positive thoughts? This is truly about life. Contemplating this also evokes a feeling of gratitude, of a deep connection with those who have passed and with those who are still living. The columbarium makes one's own existence tangible and simultaneously offers solace: The thought that everything transient has its place can reach one's soul like a soft light.

Doors that inspire

In another section, the fronts of the urn niches are adorned with photographs depicting doors. The images, by Lübeck photographer Thorsten Wulff, are in black and white. Many of the pictures still represent placeholders for empty urn graves. Here, too, Peggy, Michael, and I immediately begin discussing the associations evoked by the theme of "doors": the door that symbolizes change and a new beginning; the one that stands open and promises freedom; the one that protects against the outside world; the doors through which we never passed in our lives.

The weight of the soul

Did you know that your soul might weigh 21 grams? I'm hearing about this theory for the first time. Michael tells us that at the beginning of the 20th century, the American physician Duncan MacDougall set out to unravel the mystery of death. According to his theory, the body should become lighter if something is shed from it at the moment of death. To investigate this hypothesis, MacDougall constructed a highly precise scale capable of measuring the weight of a bed and the person lying in it to within 3 grams. According to this, the dying lost exactly 21 grams.

For MacDougall, this was irrefutable proof: a soul truly exists and leaves the body at the moment of death – and it weighs exactly 21 grams. This theory about the weight loss of a dying person does not stand up to scientific scrutiny. In the columbarium, the idea is addressed in a heartwarming way: sheep's wool cocoons, each weighing exactly 21 grams, serve as a reminder of stillborn children.

I encourage you to visit the EICHE. I can only give you a small glimpse here of what awaits you: stories upon stories. Peggy Morenz and Michael Angern want this place to be a place not only for mourners and bereaved families. Inviting sofas and armchairs await you. The carefully curated libraries are there, as are 100 thoughtfully placed original artworks, which, like the floral arrangements and the celesta in the ceremonial hall, serve an enriching function and are not meant to be the main focus. Therefore, the creators of the works are not identified. However, you can consult a brochure about the individual works and the artists on site.

A visit is also possible as part of a concert or reading. Currently, the play "Last Songs" by the Lübeck Theatre is being performed at the DIE EICHE columbarium. Public tours take place every first Tuesday of the month at 5 pm during the "blue hour" without prior registration. All tours are free of charge. You can find all the information on the website .

Our tour ends in front of a painting. A still life that captivates me. "Abundance" is the first word that comes to mind. Of being satisfied and yet still having an appetite for more. Of that feeling that only evenings at the table with friends and family can evoke.

The oak tree is a place of power. A treasure in the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town. A gift that Peggy Morenz and Michael Angern have given to Lübeck and to all of us.

PS Finally, two special tips: