Famed German robber’s skeleton identified after 220-year-long mix-up

A mixture of history, archeology, and several other scientific disciplines, has led scientists to positively identify the remains of Schinderhannes, a legendary German criminal, after a 220-year-old skeletal mix-up. However, the bones of his partner in crime, Schwarzer Jonas remain on the lam. The findings are detailed in a study published March 22 in the journal Forensic Science International: Genetics.

The crimes of Schinderhannes and Schwarzer Jonas

Schinderhannes is a nickname for Johannes Bückler, a criminal who was born sometime in 1779 in Germany, to a family of executioners and slaughterers. He was linked to at least 211 crimes, mostly theft, extortion, and robbery, but potentially murder as well. 

In 1799, Schinderhannes met Christian Reinhard–AKA Schwarzer Jonas or Black Jonas. Schwarzer Jonas was another famous professional criminal who was born around 1774. Schinderhannes and Schwarzer Jonas eventually joined forces to commit crimes together, including burglaries, extortions, and robberies along with some other accomplices in loose alliances. 

In 1802, the pair was arrested in Mainz–now in Germany, then part of France–alongside several other criminals. During the initial investigation, Schinderhannes named more than 100 individuals allegedly connected to his criminal activities. After a nearly month-long trial, Schinderhannes, Schwarzer Jonas, and 18 others were convicted. They were executed by guillotine on November 21, 1803, in front of 30,000 curious onlookers and their remains were collected. 

In 1805, Jacob Fidelis Ackermann, the first chairholder of anatomy at the University of Heidelberg, bought the two skeletons that he believed belonged to Schinderhannes and Schwarzer Jonas. However, the collection numbers were subsequently mixed-up at the beginning of the 19th century and the skeletons were misattributed.

Broken arms and legs

In this new study, an international team of researchers combined several analytical methods to 

show that the supposed skeleton of Schwarzer Jonas clearly belonged to Schinderhannes and that the alleged skeleton of Schinderhannes is not that of Schwarzer Jonas.

First, they used a few historical documents pertaining to injuries as reference. During a heated argument, Jonas is believed to have broken Schinderhannes’ arm. Additionally, Schinderhannes injured one of his legs when jumping from the second floor of a tower in Simmern, Germany after he was arrested. Some historical sources even report the leg fracture.

They then turned to the more hard science and used isotope analysis to analyze the different types of atoms of the same chemical element. The analysis allowed them to get an idea where both individuals spent their childhood and later years and the Hunsrück area in Germany is a possibility.

The chemical analyses of the bones and radiological imaging techniques also induced the presumed age, sex, and possible illnesses of the individuals. 

“All these results, coupled with a careful analysis of historical documents, pointed to a possible mix-up of the two skeletons,” Sara Doll, a study co-author, an anatomy dissection specialist at Heidelberg University, and curator of the anatomical collection, said in a translated statement.

An analysis of the mitochondrial DNA confirmed this suspicion of a two centuries long mix-up. This important genetic information is only passed on to descendants via the mother’s line and helps determine parentage. Comparison with a fifth generation living descendant of Schinderhannes also indicated that the skeleton attributed to Schwarzer Jonas was likely Schinderhannes.

[ Related: Medieval toilet helps uncover lost home of the England’s last Anglo-Saxon King. ]

Additionally, the team used genetic data to reconstruct Schinderhannes’ hair, skin, and eye color. There are only a few, sometimes contradictory, contemporary descriptions of his appearance and the surviving paintings or engravings made after his death are based on artistic license.

“The data suggests that Schinderhannes had brown eyes, dark hair and rather pale skin,” Walther Parson, a study co-author and geneticist from the Medical University of Innsbruck in Austria explained.

A skeleton lost to time

The skeleton of Schwarzer Jonas has yet to be identified, and the mystery of who is behind it “remains exciting,” according to Doll. It could be sitting in a museum somewhere or be completely lost to time. 

“It is possible that it was stolen or borrowed in the belief that it was the skeleton of Schinderhannes’ and was never returned? Ironically, this mix-up could ultimately have led to our still being in possession of the real skeleton of Schinderhannes’ today,” said Doll.

The real skeleton of Schinderhannes has been removed from the Anatomical Collection.

for conservation reasons. Visitors can see an artist’s replica of the skeleton and a model of Schinderhannes himself. 

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