She was diagnosed with fast-acting tuberculosis. Marias two sisters would later go on to die of tuberculosis, and her brother-in-law died while trying to save a construction worker from electrocution. There was an error deleting this problem. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Hoyos family didnt realize that the only key to the tomb would remain in Tanzlers possession. Von Cosel had told me once: I have spent my whole life. She was a devout Catholic who enjoyed Rudolph Valentino movies, cooking for family and friends, dancing at the social club La Brisa and looking forward to the technological developments of the 1930s (Weller 2019). Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. He didnt see an issue with their differing ages or her nearly-dead, immobilized status. Tuesday, October 6, 2009 Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos Most people have never heard of her. His negative publicity was a small price to pay for such an excessively grotesque desecration. Maria Elena "Helen" Milagro de Hoyos was an attractive, young Cuban-American local. The invention charged her oxygen electrons with electrodes, which he decided would save her. I foremost would like to acknowledge writer and historian David L. Sloan. Elena did not reciprocate Tanzlers feelings whatsoever. [11], It has been written (most notably by Swicegood) that Tanzler had the bodies switched (or that Elena's remains were secretly returned to him), and that he died with the real body of Elena. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. On February 18, 1926, she married Luis Mesa, but he left her shortly after she suffered a miscarriage of the couples first child. She was then buried in an unmarked grave by undertaker Benjamin Sawyer, cemetery sexton Otto Bethel and chief of police Bienvenido Perez, all of whom have taken this location to their own graves as a secret never to be revealed (Harrison 1996, Sloan 2012, Meek 2017). Tanzler was properly examined by a psychiatrist, who decided he was mentally competent to have a court trial. [1][8], Despite Tanzler's best efforts, Elena died of tuberculosis at her parents' home in Key West on October 25, 1931. Carl Tanzler actually received quite a bit of compassion during his trial, with some even viewing him as a hopeless albeit eccentric romantic. Family members linked to this person will appear here. He died in 1934, but his nephew is finally requesting for his body to be exhumed. In the early 1900s, approximately 110,000 Americans would die each year from tuberculosis. In April of 1930, the beautiful but doomed Elena Hoyos arrived at the Marine Hospital for blood tests. Unfortunately for them both, Tanzlers prognosis for young Hoyos was not great, having diagnosed her with tuberculosis, which was still considered to be a fatal disease in the early 1900s. Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos was a 21-year-old Cuban American beauty. I had hopes that, when Elena was out of danger, we would get married. I have sent you to the angels with my golden elixir Perez also claimed Tanzler had once told him that he 'would kill Elena if necessary to fulfil [his] destiny'[12] The poison confession letter article was also cited by historian David L. Sloan on episode 44 of the NightMerica podcast.[14]. Carl Tanzler was a German immigrant working at a Key West, Florida, hospital in the early 1930s. Tanzler had had visions since childhood of a dark-haired woman who was destined to be his true love. In 1931, a radiologist and bacteriologist working at a tuberculosis sanitarium in Key West, Florida, became obsessed with a 22-year-old patient, Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos. Resend Activation Email. She forbade the family to let von Cosel know until she was too far across the border to be recalled (p.1). When she passed away in 1931 from tuberculosis, Tanzler refused to leave her side. You are living in an insane world. Some asked if Key West could seal Elena within a glass case as a permanent exhibit. The following "Editorial Note" accompanying the autobiographical account "The Trial Bay Organ: A Product of Wit and Ingenuity" by "Carl von Cosel" in the Rosicrucian Digest[3] of March and April 1939, gives details about his stay in Australia before his internment during the Great War, as well as his subsequent return to Germany after the War:[4][5]. Was this act of murder justified by Tanzler as a mercy killing?. Determined to save his newfound paramour, Von Cosel connected her wasting body to his homemade contraption. Many years ago, Carl von Cosel travelled from India to Australia with the intention of proceeding to the South Seas Islands. Arriving authorities quickly determined that this doll was, in fact, Hoyos herself, and they arrested Tanzler for grave robbing. Are you visiting Key West? This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher, 2 Bears, 1 Cave with Tom Segura & Bert Kreischer, Earwolf & Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Additionally, there is his threat towards Elenas father if there is not a wedding before Christmas, there will be a funeral (Michelfelder 1982, p.56) and his declaration to Perez that he would kill Elena if necessary (n.d., p 68). (b. Tanzler, an eccentric character, carried himself with a high sense of self-importance. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. In 1944, Tanzler moved to Pasco County, Florida, close to Zephyrhills, where he wrote an autobiography that appeared in the pulp publication, Fantastic Adventures, in 1947. Instead, Marias mummified remains were put on display at Dean-Lopez Funeral Home. Finally, she suggested that her son return to his sister in the United States Tanzler's account of Trial Bay Gaol, his secret building of a sailboat, etc., is confirmed by Nyanatiloka Mahathera, who mentions that he planned to escape from the Gaol with "Count Carl von Cosel" in a sailboat, and provides other information about the internment of Germans in Australia during World War I. Mesa left for Miami, leaving Elena alone as her illness worsened (Harrison 1996). This article seeks to bring light to these, with the hope that people will learn what really happened as per these key findings. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Tennessean Sun. There, he looked to a number of DIY tricks to keep the young womans decaying body intact, including plaster of Paris and glass eyes to maintain the integrity of her face, as well as coat hangers and other wires to stabilize her skeletal frame. For his final diary entry, Carl had written: Human jealousy has robbed me of the body of my Elena, yet divine happiness is flowing through me for she has survived death. Carl Von Cosel had preserved her corpse for seven years. Not only were reporters sympathetic to Count Von Cosels May-December romance, jurors acquitted Von Cosel of the theft, preservation, and mistreatment of Elenas cadaver. Although some have described him as a mad scientist, others, a brilliant doctor, hes more likely a grotesque fetishist. Fans of Tanzler travelled to give him treats, public sympathy portrayed him as an eccentric romantic, an attorney offered to represent him pro bono and Elenas body was put on public display to be viewed by over 6,850 people at the Dean-Lopez Funeral Home (Tanzler von Cosel 1947, Michelfelder 1982, Harrison 1996, Sloan 2012, Meek 2017). There, he met Cuban-American Maria Elena "Helen" Milagro de Hoyos and became instantly infatuated. Maria Elena lies in some unmarked Floridian grave, in an 18 inch casket. These transgressions, like the ones committed against Elena, have been shrouded in secrecy due to the cultural biases towards and positions of the instigators involved. In 2003, two bands released their musical interpretations of the Tanzler story, In 2008, the Swedish band ChansoNoir released the EP. Meek (2017) quotes an interview Elenas sister Nana gave to the Miami Herald: [Elena] never loved [Tanzler]. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. These cookies do not store any personal information. German-born American radiology technologist and erotomaniac. Harrison (1996) adds that Countess damsel (what the Ct. d. stood for) is not an actual title, just something again self-created by Tanzler to further tie Elena and himself together. . 2, 2020, pp. Although reporters wrote that Carl Von Cosel died alone in 1952, this is somewhat untrue. He would use this wig on Marias corpse, as the decomposition process had caused her hair to fall out. Cosel fell in love with her despite the fact that she was legally married. Born the daughter of a cigar maker she came from a large Cuban-American family. Just 21 years old, and 32 years younger than Tanzler, Maria Elena "Helen" Milagro de Hoyos was brought to the hospital for an examination. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. This browser does not support getting your location. Carl had to continuously preserve Marias decaying body, and mummification isnt easy. 124 129. There continued to be much conflict between him and Elenas family. Ironically, the man who prevented Maria from decomposing was himself rotting alone on the floor of his home for several weeks. She reported him to the police, and Carl was arrested. Carl claimed Maria began talking to him from the other side, telling him she was afraid of decaying and rotting. Medina, Nana's husband, was electrocuted trying to rescue a coworker who hit a powerline with his crane at a construction site. Tanzler didnt seem to get bored living with Hoyos corpse. Nevertheless, he went on to live out the rest of his days alone and died in his home in 1952, where he was discovered three weeks after his passing. Michelfelder (1982) goes on to describe how the demolition worker and his supervisor found bottles full of this golden elixir fallen from the collapsed wall of Tanzlers former residence. Tanzler loved everything about Hoyos. In spite of his best efforts, Cosel could not save Elena and she succumbed to the illness on October 25, 1931 and entombed in a family crypt. A devastated Tanzler made a death mask of her and told her family that he would pay for her funeral and . Later, Carl Von Cosel believed that he could animate Elenas corpse with ultraviolet ray treatment. 1910 - d. October 25, 1931; Key West, Florida, USA) Contents 1 Parents 2 Siblings 3 Marriage 4 Death Parents Francisco Hoyos (1883-1934), aka Pancho Hoyos Aurora Milagro (1881-1940) Siblings Her father had driven home at breakneck speed instead of driving to the nearby hospital, where we doctors might have saved her life (p.34). Tanzler, with his self-professed medical knowledge, attempted to treat and cure Elena with a variety of medicines, as well as X-ray and electrical equipment, that were brought to the Hoyos' home. Tanzlers body was discovered on the floor of his home. 6, no. Authorities found a homemade spaceship outside of Carls lab. Accessed 11 Feb. 2021. I have roamed the earth searching for Elena! Harrison, B. He substituted her empty sockets with glass eyes. The Living Doll of Key West: Elena Hoyos & Count Von Cosel. Why, you are old enough to be my grandfather. It isnt very far off to believe that necrophilia played a part in this twisted romance, but its important to remember these claims are not fully proven. And when he proposed marriage, she always told him You are too old. I own that tomb and everything that is inside, not you! (p.70). It should be stated, he too had a wife and two young kids albeit he neglected to mention this in any of his writings. She revealed her face to him in his dream, and Tanzler knew at that moment that this was the woman he was meant to marry. We have set your language to How can these immense, unfounded claims be made? Finally, I want to acknowledge Elena herself. He reportedly said he felt her spirit come to him when he sat by her tomb and serenaded her with her favorite Spanish song. 22nd April 1930 would turn out to be a very fateful day. The 22-year-old beauty resembled his childhood premonitions so closely that he immediately became convinced that their love was meant to be. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The prognosis did not look positive for poor Maria. Florinda notified the authorities, and Tanzler was arrested and detained. It is also worth noting that Elenas body was not autopsied (Michelfelder 1982) and Tanzler (1947) specifically recounts [after Elenas funeral was over], some Cuban who I had never seen before, indulged in a piece of fiery oratory wherein he demanded punishment for the person responsible for her early death. Failed to report flower. Some of his hospital records were signed Count Carl Tanzler von Cosel. On October 25, 1931, Maria finally succumbed to TB, after struggling against the illness for a year and a half, which was how long Carl had spent orbiting her. It is perfectly wonderful that you had such a strong love for the girl in this case. Most curiously, he had made a death mask of her face to preserve her beauty. He lost time trying all doctors in town but none at home. Ginsburg, Arthur, director. His home was near his wife Doris, who apparently helped to support Tanzler in his later years. While he had a family of his own, he was still disappointed that he hadnt met the woman of his dreams. This all seems like silly speculation, to get people to read an old story. Tanzler emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1926, sailing from Rotterdam on February 6, 1926 to Havana, Cuba. She passed away on 25 October 1931 in Key West, Monroe County, Florida. John Dillinger was a gangster during the Great Depression. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Enter Carl Tanzler von Cosel, a German-born radiology technician who worked at the hospital. Historically, the Cosel family seemed to be haunted by bad luck. Carl Von Cosel was nevertheless unsatisfied with the outcome of his trial. Elenas married name (and she was still legally married at the time of her death), Mesa, was not engraved on the tombstone, however, on the bottom corner, Ct. She looked upon von Cosel as a grandfather. Her family initially assumed that this illness was sadness due to the loss of her child, but the cough was not moving. Accounts show she led the normal life of a teenager in the 1920s. You can always change this later in your Account settings. He was seen shopping for womens clothing, jewelry and perfumes, and everybody assumed Carl was seeing someone new and had finally moved on. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. He decided to open her casket. He thought of everything to make sure he could continue living with her corpsefor seven years! He was proud of the excellent attention hed given to her preservation and thought mistakenly that Elenas sister would feel the same. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. "[8] By all accounts, Hoyos was viewed as a local beauty in Key West.[1][8][9]. In 1947, Tanzler published his memoir The Secret of Elenas Tomb in the pulp magazine Fantastic Adventures which was then used as the basis for the books Undying Love by Ben Harrison (1996), The Lost Diary of Count von Cosel by David Sloan (2012) and Von Cosel by Tom Swicegood (2003), all of which represent the majority of established literature on this subject. That's when things took a turn for the macabre. He died in the arms of Hoyos real body. 1982, pp. The disease would later claim the lives of almost everyone in Hoyos immediate family, including her sister, Florinda Nana Milagro Hoyos. 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