Every year, grave diggers from around the world gather in Hungary to compete in the International Grave Digging Championship.
Every year since 2016, with the exception of 2020 and 2021, Hungary’s Association of Cemetery Operators and Maintainers (MTFE) has been inviting grave diggers from all over the world to the European country to compete for the title of World Grave Digging Champions. Working in teams of two, grave diggers must put their abilities to the test by digging graves that are 2 meters long, 80 centimeters wide, and 1.6 meters deep within two hours, and then shoveling the approximately 2.5 tons of dirt back into the holes to create a neat burial mound. It sounds easy enough, but speed, accuracy, and attention to detail are the main criteria by which contestants are judged.
Photo: MTFE
The eighth International Grave Digging Championship was held on September 6th, with participants’ performance graded on a 10-point scale, based on speed, aesthetics and precision. Hungarian team Parakletosz Nonprofit Kft managed to snag first prize for the second year in a row, with an enviable time of just over an hour and a half.
“László Kiss and Robert Nagy won with a time of 1 hour, 33 minutes, 20 seconds, defending their first place from last year. The winners credited their success to the routine they developed in their daily work without any special training,” an MTFE press release read.
Russia was represented at this year’s competition by employees of the Novosibirsk Crematorium, who sadly came in last place, blaming their deplorable performance on the hot weather.
The goal of the International Grave Digging Championship is to raise the prestige of the gravedigger profession, attract young people to the job, and showcase their skills. Furthermore, the organizers want to use the championship to recognize the hard work of gravediggers, which requires not only physical fitness but also mental strength.
