German tourist returns stolen cathedral skull after six decades, sends confession

During a guided visit to the catacombs beneath Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral, a young German tourist removed a human skull and kept it for most of his adult life. Near the end of his years, he sent the bone back in an anonymous package that arrived on Franz Zehetner’s desk, accompanied by a written confession stating he had stolen the skull about 60 years ago and now wanted to make peace with himself. The Austrian newspaper Krone reported the unusual return, noting the sender’s desire to settle his conscience.

Experts were unable to determine whose skull it was, as the catacombs hold remains from many periods. The bone has now been placed back among the other remains in the cathedral’s underground chambers. The episode highlights a rare case of long-term theft and later restitution of human remains.