Kaspar Hauser | |
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Born | 30 April 1812 |
Died | 17 December 1833 | (aged 21)
Cause of death | Stab wound |
Known for | Claimed unusual upbringing and subsequent mysterious death |
Kaspar Hauser (30 April 1812 – 17 December 1833) was a German youth who claimed to have grown up in the total isolation of a darkened cell. His claims, and his subsequent death from a stab wound, sparked much debate and controversy both in Nuremberg and abroad. Theories propounded at the time identified Hauser as a member of the grand ducal House of Baden, hidden away because of royal intrigue. However, there were also allegations that Hauser was an impostor.[1] In 2024, a scientific study ruled out Hauser's royal descent by comparing mitochondrial DNA haplotypes with the House of Baden.