Donating your own body
Important information regarding body donation
In medicine, anatomy is one of the oldest scientific disciplines. The first documented scientific dissections of the human body were made as early as the 3rd century BC. Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo also examined corpses with the aim of gaining valuable insights for their paintings and drawings.
The Flemish anatomist and surgeon Andreas Vesalius is considered the founder of modern anatomy. He replaced faith in authority with empiricism, made dissecting cadavers socially acceptable, and left behind his monumental work »De humani corporis fabrica libri septem« (»Seven Books on the Structure of the Human Body«), the first textbook on human anatomy and a milestone in book art.
Doctors are expected to save lives. An essential basis for this is a sound knowledge of the anatomy of the human body. Our medical students acquire this knowledge by dissecting cadavers.
What happens with the donated bodies?
Many people are familiar with the term organ donation - the willingness to donate one's own organs after death - but few know what body donation is. With body donation, donors decide during their lifetimes that they will make their bodies available for scientific and medical purposes after death. These body donations are extremely important for medical professionals.
- The cadaver is preserved in an elaborate procedure.
- In the course of one semester, our medical students examine and dissect the corpse.
- The corpse is then cremated, as natural decomposition is prevented by the preservation process.
- There is a period of about one and a half to two years between death and burial.
Why should I choose to donate my body?
Perhaps you have already received medical care yourself and would like to support medical students in their training beyond your death. In addition to theoretical training, practicing under professional supervision is extremely important for future doctors.
- Reliable knowledge in the field of anatomy is essential for physicians.
- Practical work is the most important part of a thorough and descriptive anatomical education.
- For this purpose, the Anatomical Institute of the University of Bonn relies on body donations.
- Through your donation, you enable a valuable form of medical education and thus support science.
If you would like to donate your body, please request a Last Will and Testament by emailing Mrs. Mukilakoy.
You are a family member or a relative
You have lost a loved one. In addition to your grief over this loss, you may have many questions about the body donation process and perhaps even about the motivations of your loved one or family member.
It is important to us to say goodbye to our deceased body donors in a dignified and respectful manner.
To this end, students will join you in escorting your loved one to his or her final resting place. At the beginning of the funeral service, we light a candle and tea lights for the deceased donors. This is followed by an ecumenical service at which our students read the intercessions before we go to the gravesite together. The service will be conducted by our deacon, Mr. Kader, along with a Lutheran pastor.
We encourage you to contact our hospital chaplaincy with any questions you may still have.
An open letter to all relatives
Bonn, March 2022
Dear Sir or Madam,
A few years ago, you lost a dear person who made himself or herself available during his or her lifetime as a body donor for the Anatomical Institute of the University of Bonn. Thus, the education of medical students was supported in a very valuable and significant way.
For you, however, it had the consequence that you could not bury and say goodbye to your dear relatives or friends in a timely manner. It is also possible that your mourning has not yet reached a conclusion or has at least been interrupted.
Perhaps, therefore, in connection with the invitation to the farewell service at the North Cemetery, you still have the desire for a conversation where you can bring your grief or grief that has returned after such a long time into the word. Therefore, I gladly make you the offer for a personal conversation in presence or also by telephone. We just have to make an appointment.
+49 151 58 233 499
It is important to us to give you a sign of solidarity and sympathy.
The Catholic and Protestant tradition knows about the importance of mourning. In this tradition, we organize services together with the medical students at the Anatomical Institute so that your relatives and friends receive a dignified burial and we can accompany you on the way to their final resting place.
In heartfelt sympathy and solidarity I remain with kindest regards
Deacon Wolfgang Kader
Bonn University Hospital
House of the hospital chaplaincy
Venusberg-Campus 1
53127 Bonn
Catholic hospital chaplaincy
Telephone and answering machine
Tel.: +49 228 287 15121
Protestant hospital chaplaincy
Telephone and answering machine
Tel.: +49 228 287 15094
E-Mail: klinikseelsorge@ukbonn.de
In urgent cases, the clinic chaplaincy can be reached daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. via the switchboard (internal: 11000 / external +49 228 287 0).
For body donors
If you would like to learn how you can donate your body to important medical studies, please click here:
FAQs
By means of a testamentary disposition, one's own body can be made available to the Anatomical Institute of the University of Bonn after death. Consent may only be given for one's own body.Aufklapp-Text
A Last Will and Testament is a type of testament. Through it, you make your body available to the Anatomical Institute of the University of Bonn after your death.
Yes, revocation is possible at any time. It only has to be done in writing.
No, there is no financial consideration for a body donation. The donation is made for purely idealistic motives.
Both the transfer costs and the costs for the urn burial are covered by the University of Bonn. Your relatives will not incur any costs.
After completion of the studies, the body will be cremated and buried in a specially reserved grave field at the university in Bonn's North Cemetery. Burial can take place either anonymously or as part of a confessional ceremony.
The costs for grave maintenance are borne by the University of Bonn.
Yes, you may also agree to body donation as an organ donor. If organ donation is feasible, this has priority - the agreed body donation is thereby omitted.
If you would like to agree to a body donation for the Anatomical Institute of the University of Bonn, you should live within a radius of 60 km. The boundaries for the catchment area in the north are Brühl/Wesseling, in the south it is Koblenz. In addition, there is currently an age restriction, you should be born in 1948 or older.
Certain pre-existing conditions preclude body donation. You will find a complete list of these illnesses on the Last Will and Testament.
Weitere Informationen zur Vereinbarung bzw. Durchführung einer Körperspende entnehmen Sie unserem Merkblatt, das Sie auf dieser Seite herunterladen können. Das Merkblatt sowie die Letztwillige Verfügung können Sie außerdem jederzeit im Anatomischen Institut der Universität Bonn anfordern.
Falls wir nicht alle Ihre Fragen beantworten konnten, wenden Sie sich gerne an unser Sekretariat.
Heike Mukilakoy
Tel. 0228 / 73-2647
Fax: +49 228 73992647
In the event of death, the relatives or the family doctor will contact our funeral director as soon as possible.
Bestattungen Gierse
Euskirchener Str. 67
53121 Bonn-Endenich
Tel. 0228 9799111
Available 24 hours
Film contribution »Making available for research«
The series »5 things you can do when you're dead« ran from August to October 2018 on WDR television, in the program »Lokalzeit aus Bonn«.
In episode 4, journalist Madelaine Meier deals with the topic of body donation. She visits a dissection course of our institute and questions what makes people donate their bodies to research and teaching.
5 Dinge, die Sie tun können, wenn Sie tot sind, Folge 4: "Der Forschung zur Verfügung stellen"
