Memories of the Deceased – the "Cartas da Morts" from Sumvitg

Visitors wandering through the areas inhabited by the German-speaking Walser people in Graubünden are likely to notice a small window on one or two of the old wooden houses: the so-called Seelenbalken (or soul window). This wooden block or plug would be removed so that the soul of the departed could escape from the room.

Whether these small openings were in fact used as Seelenbalken or simply served as ventilation hatches is a matter of dispute. What is certain is that there were, and still are, various traditions for dealing with death in Graubünden. A Rhaeto-Romansh tradition is reflected in the so-called "Cartas da morts", preserved in the Archiv cultural in Sumvitg.

These in memoriam cards (called Totenbildchen, Sterbebilder or Totenzettel in German) are used to commemorate the deceased – in a deeply religious manner. "Il Segner ha dau, il Segner ha priu", one card reads: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away". At the same time, the in memoriam cards are reminiscent of playing cards and easy to handle. Hence, the deceased person may also be commemorated in this manner in everyday life.