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Weimar, Germany (dpa) - In a bid to identify the skull of Friedrich Schiller, Germany's most famous classical playwright, a foundation has ordered DNA testing of the remains of two men.
The Weimar Foundation in eastern Germany said Wednesday the testing, to be paid for by TV broadcaster MDR, would compare both skulls with genetic material from Schiller's sister's grave, with the result to be announced next year.
Schiller (1759-1805) was initially interred in a mass grave for VIPs. What were thought to be his bones were recovered in 1827 and placed in a separate tomb, but in 1911, another skull from the main grave was found that was thought to be Schiller's.
Literature lovers make pilgrimages to the Weimar grave of the playwright, who also wrote poetry, history and philosophical essays.
Hellmut Seemann, president of the foundation, said the test would settle the issue, unless neither skull was Schiller's.
"The worst case would be if both skulls are Schiller's," he joked.
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
