title: [The death of Kaspar Hauser (17 Dec 1833)--assassination, suicide or self-inflicted injury?].
abstract: The death of Kaspar Hauser is described taking present medicolegal and criminological knowledge into account, the main question being whether the injury was self-inflicted, homicidal or suicidal. In spite of a critical retrospective analysis this question cannot be answered with sufficient certainty even from our modern perspective. It seems unlikely that the stab to the chest was inflicted exclusively for the purpose of self-damage, but both a suicidal stab and a homicidal act (assassination) cannot be definitely ruled out.
authors.affiliation: Aus dem Institut für Rechtsmedizin des Universitätsklinikums Giessen.
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Risse
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartsch
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dreyer
authors.forename: Günter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weiler
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy / Q000266:history*; D005197:Famous Persons; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000266:history*; D005858:Germany; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006708:Homicide / Q000266:history*; D006801:Humans; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000266:history*; D013405:Suicide; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000266:history