The Obsession of Carl Tanzler: A Tale of Love Beyond Death

Early Life and Visions

Born on February 8, 1877, in Dresden, within the German Empire, Georg Carl Tänzler, who later adopted the name Count Carl von Cosel, led a life marked by extraordinary events and a peculiar obsession that would captivate and horrify the public. Tanzler's early years unfolded in Germany, but his wanderlust took him to India and then Australia just before World War I erupted. During the war, Tanzler found himself interned in Australia for his own "protection" due to his German heritage. Despite his attempts to escape via a makeshift vessel, he remained in custody until the war's conclusion, at which point he moved to the Netherlands, unable to return to Germany. It was there that he married Doris Schäfer and fathered two daughters. Tragically, one of his daughters died young, at the age of 10.

Tanzler's life was forever changed by visions he claimed to have experienced from a supposed ancestor, Countess Anna Constantia von Brockdorff. These visions were not just dreams but vivid encounters where the Countess revealed to him the visage of his true love—a dark-haired woman of exceptional beauty. This dream-like prophecy haunted Tanzler and influenced him to adopt the name Carl Tanzler von Cosel.

In 1926, Tanzler emigrated to the United States from Germany, traveling from Rotterdam to Cuba before finally settling in Zephyrhills, Florida, where his sister lived. By 1927, he had left his family in Zephyrhills to work as a radiology technician at the U.S. Marine Hospital in Key West, Florida, under the alias Carl von Cosel.

Meeting Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos

The fateful encounter that would define Tanzler's life occurred on April 22, 1930, at the Marine Hospital in Key West. There, he met Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos, a local Cuban-American beauty brought in by her mother for a medical examination. Tanzler was immediately struck by her resemblance to the woman in his visions. Elena, as she was known, was the daughter of Francisco "Pancho" Hoyos and Aurora Milagro. Her family was plagued by tuberculosis, a disease that had claimed many lives, including her sister Florinda and later, Elena herself.

Elena had married Luis Mesa in 1926, but the union quickly unraveled following a miscarriage, leading Mesa to leave for Miami. Despite being legally married until her death, Elena found herself at the center of Tanzler's unrelenting obsession.

The Obsession Takes Hold

Tanzler was determined to save Elena from the grip of tuberculosis. He tried various treatments, from medical apparatus to homemade remedies, all to no avail. Even as he showered her with gifts and professed his love, there was no indication Elena reciprocated these feelings. On October 25, 1931, Elena succumbed to the disease at her parents' home. Tanzler, undeterred by her death, paid for her funeral and constructed an elaborate mausoleum in her honor, visiting it nightly.

In April 1933, Tanzler's obsession took a macabre turn. Under the cover of darkness, he removed Elena’s body from the mausoleum, using a toy wagon to transport her remains to his home. He claimed that Elena’s spirit implored him to free her from her grave, and he complied with her imagined requests.

To preserve Elena's corpse, Tanzler employed a variety of methods. He wired her bones together with piano strings, replaced decomposed skin with silk cloth and wax, and inserted glass eyes. As her hair fell out, he fashioned a wig using Elena's real hair, which he had obtained from her mother. Tanzler dressed the body in fine clothes and jewelry, filling the cavities with rags to maintain her form. He used perfumes and preservatives to mask the odor of decay, keeping Elena’s body in his bed for seven years.

Discovery and Legal Proceedings

Rumors about Tanzler's activities reached Florinda, Elena's sister, in October 1940. Suspecting something sinister, Florinda confronted Tanzler, leading to the discovery of Elena's body in his home. Tanzler was arrested and charged with wantonly destroying a grave and removing a body without authorization. His mental competence was questioned, but he was deemed fit to stand trial. However, the legal proceedings were eventually dropped as the statute of limitations had expired.

Elena's body was examined by physicians and put on public display at the Dean-Lopez Funeral Home, attracting thousands of onlookers. Her remains were later reburied in an unmarked grave to prevent further tampering. Despite the public scandal, Tanzler was viewed by some as a romantic figure rather than a criminal, a sentiment reflected in media coverage at the time.

Allegations and Later Life

Decades later, allegations of necrophilia emerged, supported by testimony from physicians who attended Elena's autopsy. They claimed that a vaginal tube had been inserted into the corpse, suggesting intercourse. However, this evidence surfaced long after the case's dismissal, casting doubt on its credibility.

After his release, Tanzler moved to Pasco County, Florida, where he penned an autobiography published in 1947. Despite the separation from Elena, he created an effigy of her using a death mask, living with it until his death on July 3, 1952. His body was found weeks later, rumored to be in the arms of Elena's effigy.

Despite the bizarre nature of his actions, Tanzler's story lived on in popular culture, with various accounts adding layers to the mythos surrounding his life and obsession with Elena de Hoyos.

Sources

Wikipedia URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Tanzler