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Amsterdam John Doe (1982)

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Amsterdam John Doe was a man whose mummified remains were discovered on 11 January 1982 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The body was located beneath a pile of soil in the basement of a building at Oudezijds Achterburgwal 143. The individual was wrapped in cloth and appeared to have been deceased for several years. Investigations suggested the possibility that he may have originated from Germany, based on the clothing found with the body.

Case[]

During renovation work at Oudezijds Achterburgwal 143, a historic building in the Wallen district, construction workers discovered human remains in the semi-collapsed basement. The body was wrapped in an old carpet secured with a garden hose, and buried under coarse soil. The scene also contained various items of bulky waste such as chairs, doors, and a bicycle frame.

The remains were in a state of advanced mummification, and initially it was unclear whether the individual was male or female. An autopsy later confirmed the body to be male. He was found lying on his side, one arm under his head and the other resting on his chest, a position likened to that of someone sleeping.

At the time of discovery, the building had been unoccupied for several years. After its purchase by the city in 1972, it had been sealed off, though it was occasionally accessed by squatters, drug users, and religious groups. The part of the basement where the remains were found appeared to have been used as a dumping site.

The cause of death was undetermined. While a drug overdose could not be ruled out, the presence of two holes in the back raised the possibility of a stabbing. The man weighed only 13.3 kilograms at the time of discovery, and the postmortem interval was estimated at six to seven years.

The basement was thoroughly searched, and approximately five bags of potential evidence were recovered, including a pill packet dated 1977 and handwritten notes found near the body. One note read, “Feel free to drop by. Kozmos in 8 hours,” and another, “I'll be back in 10 minutes,” signed "Karl. Erik?". One reference may relate to Centrum de Kosmos, a spiritual centre on Prins Hendrikkade known in underground and youth culture.

Authorities believed the individual may have been of German origin. Interpol Wiesbaden was consulted but reported no missing persons matching the description. Local neighbourhood inquiries were also inconclusive. Police believed the individual died elsewhere and had been placed in the basement deliberately. Access may have been gained via a neighbouring building at Bethanië Dwarsstraat 12, which at one point shared basement access following a fire.

In August 2014, a cold case team reopened the investigation. German television program Aktenzeichen XY Ungelöst aired a segment on the case, generating 20 tips. One tip concerned a distinctive ring the deceased had worn, which a viewer claimed had been stolen from him in Hamburg.

Later, the case was featured in Graf Zonder Naam (Grave Without a Name), a Dutch television program hosted by Kees van der Spek. During the program’s investigation, a forum post referencing the tattoo "Der Teufel Soll Mein Führer Sein!" led the team to a man named Andreas Pasternak, who had grown up in a German orphanage. His mother confirmed she had not heard from him in over 30 years, and she consented to DNA testing.

However, Pasternak was ultimately located alive and residing in Germany. While his tattoos bore similarities to those on the deceased, such as a devil-themed slogan and tattoos of a butterfly and a Native American girl, DNA testing excluded him as the unidentified individual. It remains possible that Pasternak may have known the deceased, though no conclusive evidence was found.

In May 2024, the Cold Case Foundation reported discovering a new lead in the case. Further details have not been publicly disclosed.

Characteristics[]

  • Size shoes 38.
  • Teeth in bad condition.
  • Missing seven or eight molars.
  • Six molars had been extracted.
  • Several tattoos:
    • Butterfly on right leg.
    • Heart on right forearm.
    • Indian head on left arm.
    • "Der Teufel soll mein Führer sein!" with a hand with a burning candle.
    • Nondescript tattoo on chest.
    • Nondescript tattoo on left upper arm.
    • Nondescript tattoo on right shoulder.
    • Two nondescript tattoos on the outside of left arm

Clothing and accessories[]

  • Ring on left ring finger.
  • Ring on the left little finger.
  • Swiss Bourbon watch on left wrist.
  • Earring in left earlobe.

Exclusion[]

  • Andreas Pasternak

Gallery[]

Sources[]

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