Urwienerisch, oida
April 11, 2019 2:25 AM Subscribe
The public utilities department in Vienna (die Wiener Stadtwerke), who maintain the Vienna Central Cemetery and the funeral museum, started, in 2016, creating Lego kits for funeral and burial-related things. (Note: Most links are in German, but come with pictures)
Between the first and second world wars, tram line 71 carried, not only passengers, but also coffins to the cemetery, located just east of the city. The streetcar still runs along that route and "to ride the 71" (mit dem 71er fahren) is a Viennese euphemism for "to die". The Lego version was commissioned in 2016 as an add-on to the existing models for Viennese streetcars.
With the success of the tram model and with the goal of helping children and parents talk about death, the funeral museum added other kits: a grave, a hearse, and even a mourning family.
Finally, to address the infamous word, yes, there also exist Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän*innen minifigs.
Between the first and second world wars, tram line 71 carried, not only passengers, but also coffins to the cemetery, located just east of the city. The streetcar still runs along that route and "to ride the 71" (mit dem 71er fahren) is a Viennese euphemism for "to die". The Lego version was commissioned in 2016 as an add-on to the existing models for Viennese streetcars.
With the success of the tram model and with the goal of helping children and parents talk about death, the funeral museum added other kits: a grave, a hearse, and even a mourning family.
Finally, to address the infamous word, yes, there also exist Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän*innen minifigs.
Paul - on close-up, those are the corpses.
Now why the crematorium guy looks so intense is another question that should be asked...
(Also, horse-drawn hearse, you will be mine...)
posted by Katemonkey at 3:31 AM on April 11, 2019 [5 favorites]
Now why the crematorium guy looks so intense is another question that should be asked...
(Also, horse-drawn hearse, you will be mine...)
posted by Katemonkey at 3:31 AM on April 11, 2019 [5 favorites]
If their goal was creeping me right the heck out - they have succeeded.
posted by 41swans at 3:42 AM on April 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by 41swans at 3:42 AM on April 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
Thanks, I love it!
posted by The Toad at 4:20 AM on April 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by The Toad at 4:20 AM on April 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
Why do two of the mourning family have such broad grins on their faces? That particular set looks like the first shot of a horror movie.
They are the corpses in my reading.
posted by katta at 4:30 AM on April 11, 2019
They are the corpses in my reading.
posted by katta at 4:30 AM on April 11, 2019
Paul - on close-up, those are the corpses.
You're right. And now the image is more disturbing than ever.
posted by Paul Slade at 5:47 AM on April 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
You're right. And now the image is more disturbing than ever.
posted by Paul Slade at 5:47 AM on April 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
Playmobile unfortunately has not issued funeral related sets so I have been forced to customize. Fortunately the bride and groom set had a suitably soberly attired pair of males. With the addition of a shovel, Undertaker and his little assistant have been brought out whenever we have a death in the family. We all have different rituals to help us cope. The two little figures have traveled with me internationally.
I think I might have weathered the emotional chaos better after my mother's passing if I had remembered to bring them out, but between multiple break-ins, interesting posthumous revelations, trying to juggled the expectations of her friends who were satanists and her caretakers who were Jehovah's Witnesses, and some complete strangers of neither persuasion appointing themselves head mourners there was a lot going on.
You can see why silly is sometimes an excellent way to cope.
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:08 AM on April 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
I think I might have weathered the emotional chaos better after my mother's passing if I had remembered to bring them out, but between multiple break-ins, interesting posthumous revelations, trying to juggled the expectations of her friends who were satanists and her caretakers who were Jehovah's Witnesses, and some complete strangers of neither persuasion appointing themselves head mourners there was a lot going on.
You can see why silly is sometimes an excellent way to cope.
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:08 AM on April 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
Dammit, when I was a kid I had to make my own doll coffins and mourning clothes, like a chump. A chump, I tell you!
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:00 AM on April 11, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:00 AM on April 11, 2019 [2 favorites]
Crematorium guy is the best.
I‘m pretty sure the minifigs didn‘t HAVE to look that creepy. Somebody was having fun!
I‘m deeply tempted to buy a set for my 7 year old. Perhaps the memento morbid will finally tempt her to give Lego a try.
posted by Omnomnom at 11:53 AM on April 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
I‘m pretty sure the minifigs didn‘t HAVE to look that creepy. Somebody was having fun!
I‘m deeply tempted to buy a set for my 7 year old. Perhaps the memento morbid will finally tempt her to give Lego a try.
posted by Omnomnom at 11:53 AM on April 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
"Once upon a time, there were two happy zombies who made friends with a skeleton. They lived in a graveyard which was run by a very angry man."
OK, I'm stuck. What happens next, Metafilter?
posted by Paul Slade at 2:00 AM on April 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
OK, I'm stuck. What happens next, Metafilter?
posted by Paul Slade at 2:00 AM on April 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
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posted by Paul Slade at 3:27 AM on April 11, 2019