Incorruptibles

[Althalus]

Incorruptibility - the faliure of a dead body to decompose - is usually said to be a sign of sainthood. But the reverse can be said of the remains of Count Christian Freidrich Von kahlbutz. He lived from 1651 to 1702, and had 11 legitimate offspring and is said to have fathered 40 or more children by exersising his Droit De Seigneur over the newlyweds, a privilege that came with his rank.

in 1690 the count murdered a shepherd from Buckwitz, because the young man's bride rejected his advances. The widow accused him in court but because of his rank he was allowed to take a purification oath and the murder conviction was dropped.

He swore that 'If i am the murderer, then may the lord never let my body decompose.'

After his death his coffin was placed in the crypt of the church in the village of Kampehl in Germany, this church was refurbished in 1794, and the owner decided to bury the coffins under ground instead. The contents of the coffins were checked and one of them was found to be mummified.

Kahlbutz's remains were examined a number of times between 1895 and 1983, the corpse ha not beem embalmed, and the internal organs showed no sogns of poison or drugs, nor was there any sign of gasses or chemicals in the crypt that could have accounted for the mummification.

[odinsupreme]

Wow... very strange.. But a nice story!

By the way, these smileys rule!

[Althalus]

I have a picture of the body, but my scanner has had it, so I can't put it up.

A new one is being delivered but it will be here by the end of Dec.

[Althalus]

Here is the photo of Kahlbutz, who said if he was guilty may he never decompose.