Mark Benecke
German forensic biologist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mark Benecke (born 26 August 1970)[1] is a German forensic biologist.
Mark Benecke | |
|---|---|
Benecke in 2015 | |
| Born | 26 August 1970 Rosenheim, Bavaria, West Germany |
| Alma mater | Cologne University |
| Known for | Work on identification of Adolf and Eva Hitler's skull and teeth in Moscow; only forensic scientist to work on the case of Colombian serial killer and rapist Luis Garavito |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Forensic biology |
| Institutions | Freelance expert witness |
Career
Science
Benecke has worked on the identification of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun's dental remains in Moscow (as well as a skull fragment claimed to be Hitler's).[2][3][a] He argued, in line with early investigator Hugh Trevor-Roper and scientific sources[5][6] (including Hitler forensics expert Philippe Charlier),[7] that body water would hinder an open-air cremation,[8][9] as opposed to American jurist Michael Musmanno (in 1950) and historians such as Anton Joachimsthaler (1995),[10][11] who argued that a full cremation explains why nothing more than Hitler and Braun's dental remains were found.[b] The dental remains include part of the jawbone, intact (with superficial burning) but sundered at the depth of the teeth.[13][14] According to Benecke, these either prove "that Hitler died in 1945 – or lived the rest of his life in Argentina without [part of his jaw]".[15]
Benecke is the only forensic scientist to work on the case of Colombian serial killer and rapist Luis Garavito.[16][17] Some of Benecke's forensic cases have been covered by the National Geographic Channel and the History Channel.
Benecke has published several best-selling popular science books about the biology of aging, criminal cases and forensic biology.[18] He is a member of the editorial board of the Annals of Improbable Research (Cambridge, US), guest editor for Forensic Science International (Forensic Entomology Special Issue)[19] and scientific advisor to the German skeptic organization GWUP,[20] where he publishes skeptical articles on various topics, including his attempt to explain alleged signs of vampirism.[21] In 2001, Benecke was editor of the Forensic Science International special issue on forensic entomology.[22] In 2004, he was the guest editor of Anil Aggrawal's Internet Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology for the Forensic Entomology Special Issue).[23]
Other ventures
In 2011, Benecke featured as a vocalist on Sara Noxx's cover of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' song "Where the Wild Roses Grow".[24] In 2020, together with Bianca Stücker, he published a Leonard Cohen tribute cover album.[25]
Using the pseudonym "Belcanto Bene", Benecke was a member of the German punk band Die Blonden Burschen between 1989 and 2000.[26]
In 2010, Benecke was candidate for the office of prime minister for Germany's largest state, North Rhine-Westphalia, for the satirical political party Die PARTEI. Since 2010, he is chairman of Die PARTEI in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Personal life
Benecke was born in Rosenheim, Bavaria. After receiving a Dr. rer. medic. at Cologne University in 1997,[27] he worked in the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Manhattan, New York, from 1997 to 1999. As of 1999[update], he works internationally on forensic cases as a freelance expert witness. He also teaches at various police academies and acts as a visiting professor to universities in Germany, England, Vietnam, Colombia, and the Philippines. He was married to the criminal psychologist Lydia Benecke.
Books
- Der Traum vom ewigen Leben, Droemer Knaur Kindler Verlag, München 1998. ISBN 3-463-40338-2 (German)
- The Dream of Eternal Life, Columbia University Press, New York 2002. ISBN 0-231-11672-1
- 노화와 생명의 수수께끼 마크 베네케 (Dr. Mark Benecke) 과학은 죽음보다 강하다? (Korean). ISBN 89-7919-493-5
- Kriminalbiologie. Genetische Fingerabdrücke und Insekten auf Leichen, Lübbe, Bergisch-Gladbach 2001. ISBN 3-404-93025-8 (German)
- Mordmethoden. Ermittlungen der bekanntesten Kriminalbiologen der Welt, Lübbe, Bergisch-Gladbach 2002. ISBN 3-7857-2099-8 (German)
- Mordmethoden, Lübbe, Bergisch-Gladbach 2004. ISBN 3-404-60545-4 (German)
- Moordmethoden, Bruna Uitgevers, A.W., Boek 2004. ISBN 90-229-9155-5 (Dutch)
- Murderous Methods, preface by Michael Baden. Columbia University Press, New York 2005. ISBN 0-231-13118-6 (English)
- 살인 본능 / 법의곤충학자가 들려주는 살인자 추적기, translated by Kim Hee-sang, 알마 (Alma, year unknown). ISBN 978-89-92525-60-2 (Korean)
- Šiurpių nusikaltimų pėdsakais. ISBN 9955-08-547-9 (Lithuanian)
- Lachende Wissenschaft. Aus den Geheimarchiven des Spaß-Nobelpreises, Lübbe, Bergisch-Gladbach 2005. ISBN 3-404-60556-X (German)
- "ПРИКОЛЬНАЯ НАУКА 1.ИЗ ТАЙНЫХ АРХИВОВ ШНОБЕЛЕВСКОЙ ПРЕМИИ", Moscow, книжный клуб 36.6, 2011, ISBN 978-5-98697-232-9 (Russian)
- "ПРИКОЛЬНАЯ НАУКА 2.ИЗ ТАЙНЫХ АРХИВОВ ШНОБЕЛЕВСКОЙ ПРЕМИИ", Moscow, книжный клуб 36.6, 2011. ISBN 978-5-98697-233-6 (Russian)
- 怎麽有人研究這個? 法醫昆蟲學家的搞笑諾貝爾報告 / 怎么有人研究这个? 法医昆虫学家的搞笑诺贝尔报告. Taiwan: 馬克∙班内可, VR: 马克∙班内可 (Chinese)
- Dem Täter auf der Spur. So arbeitet die moderne Kriminalbiologie, Lübbe, Bergisch-Gladbach 2006. ISBN 3-404-60562-4 (German)
- 모든 범죄는 흔적을 남긴다 / 법의곤충학자가 들려주는 과학수사 이야기 ISBN 978-89-92525-33-6 (Korean)
- Memento Mori, Edition Roter Drache, Rudolstadt 2012. ISBN 978-3-939459-39-2
- Mordspuren. Neue spektakuläre Kriminalfälle – erzählt vom bekanntesten Kriminalbiologen der Welt, Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 2007 ISBN 978-3-7857-2307-4 (German)
- 연쇄 살인범의 고백 / 법의학자가 들려주는 살인 조서 이야기, 마르크 베네케 지음 | 송소민 번역 | 알마. ISBN 978-89-92525-43-5 (Korean)
- Medical Detectives (preface), vgs Verlagsgesellschaft, Köln 2005. ISBN 3-8025-3446-8 (German)
- Vampires among us, Sequenz Medien Produktion, Fuchstal-Welden 2006. ISBN 3-935977-75-1
- Vampire unter uns! (mit E. Wawrzyniak, N. Palanetskaya & K. Sonntag), Edition Roter Drache, Rudolstadt, 2009. ISBN 978-3-939459-24-8
- Vampyres among us!: Volume III – A scientific study into vampyre identity groups and subcultures (with Ines Fischer), Edition Roter Drache, Rudolstadt, 2015. ISBN 978-3-9394-5995-8
- Wo bleibt die Maus?, Sauerländer, Oberentfelden 2008. ISBN 3-7941-5174-7 (German)
- Wo bleibt die Maus? Buchvolk-Verlag, Zwickau 2016. ISBN 978-3-944581-12-5
- Hvor blev musen af? En historie om livets kredsløb, Klematis Forlag. ISBN 87-641-0304-8 (Danish, Oversætter: Mette Jørgensen, Illustrationer: Lisa Fuss)
- Ölümün İzleri, Kırmızı Kedi. ISBN 978-9944-75-619-8 (Turkish)
- Cinayet Yöntemleri, Kırmızı Kedi. ISBN 978-6055-34-045-2 (Turkish)
- Warum man Spaghetti nicht durch zwei teilen kann, Luebbe, Bergisch Gladbach 2009. ISBN 3-7857-2368-7
- Das knallt dem Frosch die Locken weg: Experimente für kleine und große Forscher, Oetinger, Hamburg 2012. ISBN 978-3-78918-437-6
- Mein Leben nach dem Tod: Wie alles anfing (Biography), Luebbe, Bergisch-Gladbach 2019. ISBN 978-3-431-04133-0
- Viren für Anfänger (Corona Virus), Luebbe, Bergisch-Gladbach 2020. ISBN 978-3-404-61716-6
- Kat Menschiks und des Diplom-Biologen Doctor Rerum Medicinalium Mark Beneckes Illustrirtes Thierleben (Animals / Natural History), Galiani, Berlin 2021. ISBN 978-3-86971-201-7
