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Corpses Having Sex Sparks Uproar
Popular traveling exhibit of bodies triggers new controversy
By Mary Papenfuss
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Posted May 7, 09 3:15 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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A controversial traveling exhibit of preserved bodies has sparked a storm of controversy with a new addition of corpses having sex, reports the Guardian. "It's not meant to be sexually stimulating," said creator Gunther von Hagens, who opens the Berlin exhibit to the public today. German politicians and church members have demanded the couple be removed, calling the display pornographic and an insult to the dead.
"This couple is simply over the top, and it shouldn't be shown," said a member of parliament. Von Hagens developed a plasticizing method to preserve corpses by replacing fat and water deposits with silicon, which hardens. His displays of bodies include a pregnant woman, and corpses running, playing chess and horseback-riding. His exhibits have been enmeshed in several controversies, including accusations that he obtained bodies from prison and mental institutions without family approval.