Until death do us part: In this country, twice as many couples are separated by death as by divorce. Around 420,000 men die each year in Germany; it can be assumed that most leave behind a partner. However, although there are currently about 4.6 million widows living in Germany, along with many women who were not married but have lost their partners, they are almost invisible in our society. Because of this, most try to cope alone with something that is hardly manageable on their own. The loss of a partner, husband, or long-term companion is a devastating blow for every widow. Regardless of whether they are young or old, whether the partnership lasted a long time or was brief, or whether the relationship was still "as happy as on the first day" or filled with love and suffering.