The man behind the controversial body exhibition has died - this was his last wish

Gunther von Hagens, the developer of plastination for preserving bodies, died at age 81 in a Heidelberg hospital. His family said his body will undergo a similar process per his wish. His 'Body Worlds' exhibitions have traveled the world since 1995 and sparked controversy. In Israel, the exhibition was shown at Madatech in Haifa and drew rabbinical protest.

Gunther von Hagens, the man who developed plastination for preserving bodies and turned it into controversial traveling exhibitions, died at age 81 in a hospital in Heidelberg, western Germany. He was hospitalized after a brain hemorrhage on Thursday and died last Friday. His family and the Institute for Plastination announced his death today (Monday), stating that in accordance with his wish, his body will also undergo a similar plastination process. Von Hagens developed the method in 1977, replacing body fluids and fats with plastic materials that harden the tissue, allowing bodies to be displayed in various poses. The specimens were initially used as teaching aids, and from 1995 were shown in 'Body Worlds' exhibitions that traveled the world. According to the family, more than 58 million people visited the exhibitions. In Israel, the exhibition was shown at Madatech in Haifa from April 2009 to early 2010, sparking protest from rabbis and ZAKA organization. Alongside success, ongoing criticism followed: opponents argued the exhibitions catered to voyeuristic curiosity and profited from death. Von Hagens claimed all bodies were donated with consent. In 2004, Der Spiegel published documents suggesting a facility in China acquired unclaimed bodies from the police, including those of executed prisoners; after the publication, he ordered a halt to that practice. Von Hagens, sometimes called 'Dr. Death', was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2008. In 2018 he wrote: 'I do not believe anything of us remains after death.'