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Non-invasive examination of a skull fragment recovered from a World War Two aircraft crash site

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Abstract

The discovery of human remains dating to the time of the Second World War is a common occurrence in Europe and the Pacific regions. This case report demonstrates the analysis of a bone fragment recovered from a Luftwaffe crash site in Austria during the summer of 2007. Eye-witness statements and official reports were used to reconstruct the historical background of the case. A recovered German military identity tag helped to identify the pilot. Aircraft parts, also discovered at the crash site in 2007, aided the identification of the aircraft type and corroborated the eye-witness reports of the final moments before and during the crash. The bone was analyzed chiefly to establish its human or non-human origin and to identify from which anatomic region the fragment could have arisen. It was identified as part of a human adult skull which exhibited peri-mortem fractures and heat damage as well as post-mortem vegetation staining. The historical background information in connection with the morphological analysis led to the presumptive identification of the cranial fragment as belonging to a downed German pilot.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Mr. Hans Götze and Mr. Dirk Hubrich, relatives of Uffz. Hans Götze, for permission to publish this case, including Uffz. Hans Götze’s photo; Mr. Peter Rodeike for permission to use his diagram in Fig. 6; Dr. Mark McEntee (Diagnostic Imaging—University College Dublin) for radiographic imaging; Mr. David Kilroy (Veterinary Anatomy—University College Dublin) for access to animal skulls and Dr. Jean O’Connor and Mr. Gary F. Perry (Human Anatomy—University College Dublin) for constructive feedback on the manuscript. Also thanks to the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Anatomy, UCD School of Medicine & Medical Science, Health Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    René Gapert

  2. Gymelsdorfergasse 37/B/4, 2700, Wiener Neustadt, Austria

    Kurt Rieder

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  1. René Gapert
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  2. Kurt Rieder
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Correspondence to René Gapert.

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Gapert, R., Rieder, K. Non-invasive examination of a skull fragment recovered from a World War Two aircraft crash site. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 9, 395–402 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-012-9390-6

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