Dr. Anja Kretschmer: Scientia Mortuorum

Is everything over after death? Far from it.

In this lecture, you will learn for the first time about the different ways of dealing with the bodies of deceased individuals who donated their bodies for scientific purposes during their lifetime. This practice is already a centuries-old method of researching or simply experimenting with the human body.

Do you know, for example, what the research of electricity has in common with corpses? Or what the Body Farm is? This lecture provides information about the often unimaginable possibilities of cadavers for science today. It spans from well-known body donations to surgical and physical experiments, all the way to cryopreservation.

Art historian Dr. Anja Kretschmer-Rodenbröker holds a doctorate on burial and cemetery culture, offers her "Cemetery Whispers" nationwide, and is also an author of books and numerous publications on burial and cemetery culture. Additionally, she takes on the role of the historical figure of the "Black Widow" from 1898, who aims to bring visitors closer to the culture of mourning with regional references. She has been a guest in Recklinghausen multiple times and has inspired many visitors with her tours.