Nyergesújfalu hosts Hungarian grave-digging contest, 38 compete

A grave-digging contest in the Hungarian cemetery of Nyergesújfalu drew 38 competitors on Saturday, organized to showcase the trade and shake off death-related taboos. The Hungarian Association of Cemetery Maintainers and Operators held the event in a public cemetery in northern Hungary.

Nineteen two-man teams grabbed picks and shovels and raced for the title of quickest-dug and most stylish grave. The dry summer-baked soil proved a worthy adversary as the teams huffed, puffed and sweated through the contest.

“Speed is the main thing here, not the beauty,” said Róbert Nagy, who won with his teammate László Kiss.

“When you have to dig a grave for a funeral, you have to be very careful about the exact dimensions and to make sure that it is beautifully carved,” Kiss said.

Their winning time was 1 hour, 21 minutes, digging to contest specifications of graves 1.6 meters (5½ feet) deep, 2 meters (6½ feet) long and 0.8 meters (2.6 feet) wide. They shared a cash prize of 200,000 Hungarian forints (about $640).