Twenty-five coffins and sarcophagi discovered inside a family mausoleum in south-western Poland have been identified as containing the remains of members of the von Hochberg dynasty, the former owners of Książ Castle.
The burials, dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, were found inside the von Kramsta family tomb at the municipal cemetery in Świebodzice, a town neighbouring the historic castle in Lower Silesia.
Preliminary investigations have identified eight members of the Hochberg family among the remains, although researchers say further examination will be necessary to establish the identities of everyone buried there.
Among those already identified is Konrad Ernst Maximilian von Hochberg, one of the most influential figures in the history of Książ and the man responsible for the castle’s major Baroque transformation.
“This is a historic moment for all of Lower Silesia,” Mateusz Mykytyszyn, spokesman for Książ Castle in Wałbrzych and president of the Princess Daisy von Pless Foundation, told the Polish Press Agency.
He described Konrad Ernst Maximilian as one of the most important figures in the castle’s history, whose rebuilding programme was largely responsible for the striking Baroque appearance that survives today.
Mystery Surrounds Relocation of Coffins
The discovery has also presented historians with a mystery.
Research by Dr Kamil Pawłowski of the Wałbrzych branch of the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in Wrocław found that the Hochberg coffins and sarcophagi had been placed in the upper section of the mausoleum.
The remains of the von Kramsta family — a prominent industrial family associated with Świebodzice — were instead located in the tomb’s burial crypt.
Researchers do not yet know who transferred the Hochberg remains to the von Kramsta mausoleum, when the move occurred or why it was undertaken.
One possibility is that the coffins were moved during the chaotic final days of the Second World War.
Mykytyszyn suggested the transfer could have taken place in early May 1945, although he stressed that this remains only a hypothesis.
Further historical and archaeological research will be required to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding the relocation.
Discovery Coincides With Major Castle Restoration
The identification of Konrad Ernst Maximilian von Hochberg comes as Książ Castle undergoes its most extensive restoration programme in half a century.
Dorota Karolewska, president of Książ Castle in Wałbrzych, said the timing was particularly significant because the current conservation project is focused on the Baroque section created under Hochberg.
“We are currently conducting the largest restoration of Książ in half a century, and its heart is the Baroque section of the castle, created by Konrad Ernst Maximilian von Hochberg,” Karolewska said.
“And it is now that we discover his remains. It would be hard to imagine a more symbolic coincidence.”
Scientists Hope Bones Will Reveal Hochberg Family Secrets
The discovery could provide researchers with an unusual opportunity to investigate the lives of the people who inhabited Książ centuries ago.
Scientists plan to use osteological and palaeopathological analysis to examine the remains for evidence concerning the individuals’ height, physique, posture, illnesses, injuries and physical stresses.
Teeth and preserved dental calculus could reveal information about diet and the oral microbiome, while isotope analysis could help reconstruct what members of the family ate and potentially provide clues about where they spent different periods of their lives.
DNA analysis could also be attempted if sufficient genetic material survives, potentially allowing researchers to establish family relationships between individuals and investigate evidence of certain pathogens.
Well-preserved skulls could even make partial facial reconstruction possible.
“Bones can tell the biography of the body,” said Katarzyna Sielicka, head of the Museum Department at Książ Castle.
The research, she said, could allow historians to understand the former inhabitants of Książ in ways that conventional archival records cannot.
A Dynasty That Shaped Książ for Four Centuries
Książ Castle, situated in Wałbrzych, is one of the largest and best-known historic castles in Poland and a major tourist attraction in Lower Silesia.
Its origins stretch back to the 13th century, when a stronghold was constructed under Bolko I the Strict, Duke of Świdnica-Jawor.
The castle remained under the control of the Piast dukes until the end of the 14th century before passing through several rulers and owners.
The Hochberg family eventually acquired Książ and controlled the estate for more than 400 years, profoundly shaping the castle’s architecture and appearance.
One of its most important transformations came under Konrad Ernst Maximilian von Hochberg, whose 18th-century rebuilding programme gave substantial parts of Książ their Baroque character.
Further expansion followed in the early 20th century. In 1908, Hans Heinrich XV von Hochberg, Prince of Pless, commissioned the castle’s enormous south-western wing, distinguished by towers at its corners.
The Hochbergs remained associated with Książ until 1941, when the property was seized by Nazi Germany during the Second World War.
Today, extensive sections of the castle have been restored and opened to visitors, including the Maximilian Hall, Chinese Salon, Italian Salon, Green Salon and Hunter’s Hall.
The discovery in Świebodzice now adds another chapter to the history of the dynasty that shaped the castle for centuries.
As researchers work to identify the remaining individuals among the 25 coffins and sarcophagi, they will also attempt to solve a mystery that has endured for decades: how the Hochbergs came to rest inside another prominent Lower Silesian family’s tomb.
Sources : PAP
