Open caskets are normal in the Netherlands. It depends on the last wishes of the person that died and his family, but I've seen more open caskets than closed ones. In one case it was a classmate who comitted suicide by hanging himself, they had put something around his neck to cover up the strangle bruises from the chain he had used, but his face was still visible.<br/><br/>Usually it's the upper part of the chest and head that remain visible, thoughthe entire body isn't uncommon either.