Product Description

The Secret of Elena's Tomb is an audio book recorded on 5 CD's with a total playing time of 5 hours and 7 minutes. It is a true crime story that recounts with realism through the reading of Jack Pedersen the confessions of "Count" Carl von Cosel. Also known as "Doctor" von Cosel because of his work in the Key West hospital in the early 1930's, the radiologist fell in love with a beautiful Cuban girl who he treated for advanced tuberculosis. After her death, he removed her body from the Key West cemetery to his secret laboratory and using electric aparatus and chemical potions attempted to restore her to life. His plan was not revealed until his arrest almost eight years later. The bizarre, twisted tale describes his version of what happened and the aftermath once he was discovered. This story is graphic and recommended for mature audiences only.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1510926 in Books
• Published on: 2003-04
• Number of items: 5
• Binding: Audio CD

From the Publisher
I've been so busy lately I thought I'd never get this page done. But I've made a decision to provide the full text of The Secret of Elena's Tomb for those who have an interest in the story but may not have the means to purchase the audio book. We published the audio book on regular CD's and also on MP3-CD format so the the whole five-plus hours fits on a single inexpensive disk. The memoirs of von Cosel were also re-published in print in 1988, but I don't know where that might be available. The story I offer here is a high quality audio recording of the original 1947 memoirs printed in Amazing Adventures magazine which I bought from an old bookstore. Ben Harrsion of Key West also wrote an excellent, well researched book based on these memoirs called "Undying Love." It is available everywhere and in my opinion is a bargain in paperback because of the actual photos from the time. I believe he has also successfully marketed the motion picture rights. I was given a copy of the story to read a couple years ago and became fascinated with the details, especially the equipment and potions von Cosel invented for resurrecting the body, the home built airplane he was constructing for their escape to the south seas, and the handmade pipe organ which he played through the hurricane that devastated the Keys in 1935. Each chapter pulled me further into the disgusting dark world of "Doctor" von Cosel. By coincidence, I was teaching at the time at an old school building just around the corner from the Key West cemetery and had often passed through the marble and stone mauseleums on my way to work. I spoke to a co-worker who told me she learned the secret location of Elena's unmarked grave from the daughter of a Hoyos family member. I wasn't able to verify this but, supposedly her unmarked grave lies in the back yard of a historic old home on Duval Street in downtown Key West. She was definitely NOT cut up into pieces and buried in several different locations as the authorities had convinced von Cosel, in order to discourage him from digging her up after his release. The "Count" Carl von Cosel died in 1952 in Zephyrhills, Florida. His body was supposedly found slumped over a hand built likeness of a young woman which he kept in Elena's casket. My take on it is, that it is a dark story of love and obsession. The author was brilliant and at the same time probably quite disturbed. Maybe we can discuss the details after you've heard or read this account for yourself, although I won't recommend this story to anyone.

Best regards, Howard Olsen, publisher

About the Author
PREFACE

WHEN IN NOVEMBER, 1940, I was fi- nally released from prison, I was a very bitter man. Charges had been brought against me that I was a violator of the grave, a ghoul, a fiend of society. There was an avalanche of misrepresentations, of sensational press stories which ac- cused me of being a sexual pervert, a necromancer, a maniac, while being confined for court hearing. Worst of all they had removed Elena's body, that body which I had treated, first to preserve it in its unearthly beauty, and then to reunite with its soul which al- ways was with me in the scientific ef- forts of over seven years. What made these misfortunes even heavier was the fact that, at the time of my release, I was sixty-four years old, and had lost my employment through Roosevelt's retrenchment, had lost my home on the beach of Florida, which had been de- stroyed by hoodlums before my captiv- ity and with the war restrictions, found myself almost without means of exis- tence.

With my whole life thus deranged, I lived for a time as a recluse amongst the rubble of my laboratory, using the air- plane, which I had built for Elena, as a shelter. But then a strange and unex- pected turn of affairs brought me back to life. I discovered that there was human decency left in this world. From all parts of America and even from foreign countries hundreds of letters poured in and thousands of visitors came to see me, not from idle curiosity, but from humane sympathy. In their eyes I had not committed a crime. Gradually faith recovered and hope re- turned into my heart. I decided that it was my duty to answer comprehen- sively those thousands of questions I had been asked in connection with my life, and my love for Elena. I decided

also that it was my duty to clear myself

in the eyes of the public of the false ac- cusations which bad been raised. In short, I found it necessary to tell my story, to remove this spectre of ig- norance.

So in the cabin of Elena's airship, where her coffin had rested for so long, I sat down and wrote this account. My position was cramped in the pilot seat and made all the more uncomfortable, because war regulations made it neces- sary to remove the wheels from the plane, so that my quarters were not only extremely narrow but slanting back- ward. I am no professional writer;

I am not a poet; but I have a little gift of painting, and so I have tried to ex- press in pictures what I could not say in words. In this manner, happiness of a kind came back to me; my life again has a purpose; although it is sad that these pictures (seen by visitors at my place) cannot be reproduced in' this magazine.

Admittedly my experiments in res- urrecting Elena were partly successful. Too often my work was interrupted and disturbed by outside circumstances be- yond my control. But I am not giving up. I feel that the invaluable experi- ence already gained lends itself as a reassurance that new experiments could be crowned with success. Elena's body, true enough, is now interred, but her dying wish that she and I should live together has been granted to both of us. She is with me as I write this, she ad- vises me, in fact, it is her hand which, I feel, is leading my pen.

So then, I wish to thank, through this account, all those thousands of kind- hearted and big-hearted friends who have come to my support in my hour of need. It was their faith in me which has restored me to new life; it is to them I dedicate this book, and to my Elena, as she was the first who visited me while in jail.

Karl Tanzler von Cosel Key West, Florida, In the winter of 1940-41.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
"It was only then that I cried and cried from happiness. For now the long, sad, worldly struggle was all over. My bride was beyond malice, beyond unhappiness, beyond her pain. She was in the hands of God, the best, the gentlest hands that be.

Father Morreaux, who had but re- cently taken my Elena into the folds of the church, now spoke the last rites for her.

The coffin sank into its grave and when I thought, as did everybody else, it was 'all over, some Cuban, whom I bad never seen before, indulged in a piece of fiery oratory wherein he de- manded punishment for "the person re- sponsible for her early death."

Whether he meant me I did not know and cared less, but I thanked him for his righteous thoughts and with a hand- clasp I assured him of my sincere sup- port of his idea.

This then was what many, perhaps most people, would call "the end."

A STRANGE kind of new life now began for me. It was something like a rebirth after these last two op- pressing and depressing years. Now at least nobody could take my Elena away from me. Although I could not see her any longer, I felt her presence all the time.

It was only natural that I went daily to the cemetery. What disturbed me there was the fact that, owing to the nature of the ground, hers was a shallow grave and by no means safe from water. In the dry season there was little danger, but I was worried at the thought of what would happen to my darling once the torrential rains started to come. There was no drainage of any kind in this cemetery.

It seemed unfair that her beautiful form should perish from the water; the only possible way to prevent this was to

build a concrete vault around the coffin and to do it soon. In the meantime I kept the mound of the grave covered with a piece of tarpaulin which I took from my plane. The edges of the tar- paulin I secured to the ground with stones, and all the flowers I laid on top. Now she was reasonably safe, at least until I could build her a tomb.

Considering how often I have men- tioned the strenuous relations between myself and Elena's family, readers will find it hard to understand why every night I went to her house.

It was the memory, of course, which drew me there, the atmosphere of Elena lingering on. But that was exactly why I felt great sadness in finding her room desolate with all of Elena's things re- moved from it.

When I inquired the parents told me that everything was burned, and that they abhorred this house where one of theirs had died and that they were moving to some other part of town.

I had the distinct feeling that I was not told the truth and that not all the things I had given Elena had been de- stroyed. It was not the material value of these things, it was the memory con- nected with them which made me say:

"Now, listen, if you are moving out I'm going to rent this house for myself, even if I have to buy it. Moreover you'd better be warned that the furni- ture and other things and jewelry I've given Elena were bought on the install- ment plan. If you want to keep these things for yourself I will notify the com- pany according to the contract and you will have to pay the balance owing."

They did not like that particular idea and just as I had foreseen, the furniture was now produced from somewhere and placed back in Elena's room. Nothing had been burned except a few sheets and pillows and the trunk which had been the family's."

Customer Reviews

Truely Bizarre Tale
This audio book is actually a reading of Von Cosel's telling of the tale as it was published in the September 1947 issue of Amazing Stories. Von Cosel describes the history of his obsession with the beautiful Elena and how he kept his "bride" with him for seven years after her death. This account was written after he was released from jail. The reader has a wonderful voice for the story, making Von Cosel's words come alive. Definitely recommended.

Eerie
After a ghost tour in Key West, I became quite fascinated by this story. It was great to hear it in Von Cosel's own words. That being said, many parts were disturbing in their details (like the condition of the body). Also, it tended to drag on at times. Very interesting and a good look into the psyche of a mad man.

Rings of authenticity...
This CD audio book is interesting for a couple of reasons. One, it's based on the actual writings of Von Cosel, so whether embelished or not, these words came from the man himself and I found it entertaining and honest from his perspective. I think the man was twisted and delusional about Elena's true feelings for him prior to her unfortunate early passing. And two, the voice reading the transcripts had an heir of authenticity to his voice and many times while listening I felt as if it was Von Cosel himself reading the transcripts. I recommend this and the book "Undying Love."