This week on Last Rites, we explore the life of Gunther von Hagens: anatomist, inventor of plastination and creator of the hugely successful BODY WORLDS exhibitions.

We trace his unusual journey from East Germany to international fame and consider the scientific, ethical and legal controversies surrounding his work. Along the way, we explore the wider history of anatomy and dissection—from Renaissance anatomy theatres and nineteenth-century body snatchers to Nazi medicine and modern debates about consent.

Was von Hagens an innovative educator, a provocative showman—or both?