The Princely Crypt

Text: Stephan Laudien

Jena bids farewell to the last Duke of the House of Saxe-Jena. A sombre scene unfolds in the city on 19 February 1691: the streets and alleys glow in the light of torches as the carriage bearing Johann Wilhelm’s ornate coffin rolls out of the castle, drawn by six black horses. The carriage is followed by dignitaries from the city and the university; the procession makes its way along Oberlauengasse and through the market square to the city church. It is here that the young Duke will find his final resting place. Johann Wilhelm died of smallpox on 4 November 1690; he was just 15 years old.

»There were 106 days between the death of the last Duke of the House of Saxe-Jena and his burial in the Princely Crypt,« says Dr Enrico Paust, curator of the University’s Prehistory and Early History Collection. According to tradition, the body had since been embalmed and »placed in sand«. Eight days before the funeral, the Duke was laid out so that the people of Jena and members of the university could pay their respects. The burial in the crypt of the city church was followed by a grand funeral banquet at the castle. The funeral cost more than 10,000 talers. Guests were also given a commemorative coin in remembrance of the deceased. Depending on their social standing, these ranged from one taler down to a quarter-groschen. The coins are still highly coveted by collectors today.

The Duke’s early death not only marked the end of the House of Saxe-Jena, but also the passing of the Rector of the University of Jena. The Duke shares his final resting place in St Michael’s Church with his father, Duke Bernhard, his mother Marie Charlotte de La Trémoille, and his brother. The four ornate coffins are placed in the city church, which at that time had a different layout. They are situated to the left of the altar of St Elizabeth, with Luther’s bronze tomb slab above them. The coffins remain visible during services, keeping the memory of the royal family alive in people’s minds.

Arson attack on the Duke’s coffin and a mysterious message in a bottle

The four pewter coffins have survived several centuries and numerous wars unscathed, even the devastation of the Second World War. This came to an end in the post-war period. First to disappear were the Duke’s hat, a broken sword and gilded spurs. These regal insignia had been placed on Johann Wilhelm’s coffin. To this day, there is no trace of them. Thieves also took some gilded pewter discs, leaving a hole in the coffin. In 1958, this hole became the point of entry for an arson attack carried out by unknown assailants on the Duke’s final resting place.

»The fire was quickly extinguished,« says Enrico Paust. It also provided an opportunity to examine the coffin and its contents scientifically. Afterwards, it was sealed up again. The criminal saga surrounding the Princely Crypt was far from over. In fact, it was only just beginning to gather pace. When, some 70 years later, the ornate coffins in the city church were cleaned, scientists seized the opportunity to take a look inside using an endoscope. Their astonishing discovery: the Duke’s remains were missing; instead, a message in a bottle was found inside the coffin.

»In the message in a bottle, we found an article from the university’s scientific journal about the events of 1958 and a note stating that the Duke’s remains were in the university’s osteological collection,« says Enrico Paust. But there: nothing to be found! Eventually, the bones were found among the belongings of a long-serving employee, who had hoarded boxes of items meant for the rubbish bin. A fortunate turn of events.

DNA analysis and facial reconstruction of the young Duke

An interdisciplinary research team took the opportunity to examine the magnificent burial site in detail. Scientists from Jena, Erfurt, Leipzig, Ulm and Brussels all participated. The Duke’s garments, plant remains from the pillow and other grave goods were examined. A tooth was extracted from the skull for DNA analysis. A facial reconstruction is planned, while other findings have already emerged. It was established, for instance, that game and freshwater fish featured on Johann Wilhelm’s menu.

Digitization experts and restoration specialists also created a digital replica of the coffin with its fascinating ornate decoration. The crucifix on the coffin once shimmered with a reddish hue; material analyses confirm that it was made of rose silver, a silver-copper alloy. The inscriptions on the top of the coffin, which were barely legible on the original, have also been restored. To this end, an alphabet was created by hand, based on the inscriptions on the side panels. The original text on the coffin was known from a copy and could thus be reconstructed. Over the years, the tin surfaces had darkened and the gilding had worn away. Furthermore, some decorative elements were missing.

Enrico Paust notes that the colour reconstruction of the Baroque ornate coffin has set new standards across Europe. All the digitization work is primarily of a documentary nature and reveals the changes that have taken place over time. The research into the final resting place of the last Duke of Jena is far from finished. The Duke’s remains, however, have found peace once more. In the presence of representatives of the House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, the bones and grave goods have been returned to the original coffin.