Gunther von Hagens, creator of Body Worlds, dies at 81

Gunther von Hagens, the German anatomist and entrepreneur known for his controversial "Body Worlds" exhibitions, has died at the age of 81. His family announced his passing on Monday, stating they would fulfill his wish to be plastinated after his death.

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it was Gunther von Hagens’ own wish to make his body available for plastination after his death. His family will respect and carry out this wish.

Von Hagens, who earned the nickname "Dr Death," invented the plastination process in the 1970s. This technique replaces water and fat in human and animal tissues with chemical compounds, allowing bodies to be preserved and displayed in lifelike poses. His exhibitions, which revealed the intricate details of human anatomy, drew millions of visitors worldwide.

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a pioneer, a researcher, an inventor

Despite their popularity, the exhibitions also faced calls for bans and scrutiny. Von Hagens was once charged with voyeurism and profiting from death. A public autopsy performed in London in 2002 further fueled his notoriety. The unique nature of his work was even featured in the 2006 James Bond film "Casino Royale."

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iconoclastic and sometimes controversial thinker

Born in Poland in 1945 and raised in East Germany, von Hagens was imprisoned for attempting to flee the communist regime. He later moved to West Germany, where he pursued medical studies and developed his groundbreaking preservation technique. His team remembered him as a "pioneer, a researcher, an inventor," and an "iconoclastic and sometimes controversial thinker" who made anatomy accessible to the public. His wife, Angelina Whalley, stated that von Hagens aimed to provide knowledge of the human body for a more conscious and healthy life, describing his work as scientific, educational, and deeply humanistic.

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Gunther wanted to give people a look beneath the skin -, not out of a desire for sensationalism, but out of the deep conviction that knowledge of one’s own body can contribute to a more conscious, healthy and responsible life.