October 25, 1931 –
In every home there is a heartbreak
This story is truly not for the faint of heart.
Elena Hoyos, a pretty and vivacious 21-year-old Cuban-American woman, died of tuberculosis in Florida on this date. While that fact alone is sad, it would not be particularly noteworthy – were it not for her middle-aged neighbor and his disturbing obsession with her. Carl Tanzler (also known as Carl von Cosel), a German-born radiologist, became infatuated with his young neighbor. Not only did Tanzler attempt to treat and cure Hoyos with a variety of medicines, as well as X-ray and electrical equipment he brought to the Hoyos home, but he also showered her with gifts of jewelry and clothing, and allegedly professed his love to her.
In April 1933, two years after Elena’s death, Tanzler removed her body from the mausoleum, carted it through the cemetery after dark on a toy wagon, and transported it to his home. There, with the aid of some home embalming, he lived with Hoyos’ preserved corpse until October 1940. That’s when Elena’s sister, Florinda, heard rumors that Tanzler (now calling himself Von Cosel) was sleeping beside her sister’s disinterred body. When she confronted him at his home, the ghastly truth was revealed. Von Cosel was never charged with a crime – the statute of limitations on grave robbing had expired. Elena Hoyos was eventually reburied in a secret location to prevent further tampering. Separated from his “love,” Von Cosel created a life-sized effigy of Elena using a death mask and lived with it until his own death in 1952.
(This story is even more disturbing than you think – I’ve omitted some of the more unsavory details out of consideration for readers with a delicate nature.)
The Haus of Dcaligari 