Sweden Prepares for the Unthinkable: Expanding Cemeteries Amid War Fears

In a move that both astonishes and sobers the soul, Sweden’s burial associations are embarking on a grim quest to secure vast swathes of land not for the living, but for the potential dead. This search, sparked by the Church of Sweden’s national secretariat, is a direct response to the heightened geopolitical tensions with Russia and Sweden’s recent pivot to join NATO.

Imagine, in the tranquility of Gothenburg, the second-largest city in Sweden, officials are now tasked with the macabre duty of preparing for mass burials — a scenario they fervently hope will remain unfulfilled. The Goteborg Burial Association is at the forefront, seeking to acquire no less than 40,470 square meters of land for what could be the burial of 30,000 souls lost in the chaos of war. This, in addition to another 60,700 square meters for regular cemetery needs, highlights a stark reality: even in times of peace, land for the dead is at a premium in bustling urban centers like Gothenburg.

Katarina Evenseth, a senior advisor with the Association, explains the gravity of their task, “The recommendations signal a dire need for more burial grounds in our cities, where space is already a luxury.” The urgency of this task is compounded by the bureaucratic labyrinth of land acquisition, expected to take about a decade to navigate, even as the specter of war looms larger.

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) has been vocal about the importance of readiness. Jan-Olof Olsson, a CIP expert at MSB, reflects on this new era of preparedness, highlighting how Sweden, long a beacon of neutrality since the 19th century, has had its peace-loving ethos challenged by recent global conflicts. “We’re in a new age where the possibility of war is no longer a distant echo of history,” Olsson notes, underscoring the Church of Sweden’s proactive role in this grim planning.

This shift in Sweden’s strategic outlook was dramatically accelerated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, pushing Sweden and Finland towards NATO’s protective embrace, a move driven by the palpable fear of a belligerent neighbor across the Baltic Sea. Both nations have since distributed updated survival guides, eerily reminiscent of Cold War era pamphlets, teaching citizens how to endure the unthinkable.

This story, while grounded in a reality many wish to ignore, is a poignant reminder of how quickly the landscape of peace can shift to one of preparation for war. It’s a narrative that challenges us to look beyond the everyday, to consider the lengths a nation must go to safeguard its future, even if that means planning for its darkest moments.