Meet the experts

Holger Schmidt, Technical Team Leader

As a carpenter, I am one of 20 craftsmen that make up our technical team. Most of our work involves staging for the BODY WORLDS exhibitions. With our creativity, know-how and skills we complement one another to create props that that are unique, just like our specimens, including wall systems, cabinets, cases and more. Working with a variety of materials including metal, glass, wood, wood-based materials, and plastics, allows for great deal of flexibility. We specialize in lightweight construction methods that comply with safety regulations. At our in-house workshop, we also create almost everything needed for the global distribution of plastinates. Often our work comes with strict deadlines, which is the greatest challenge, but our team always gets the job done.

When not working around plastinates, our buildings and facilities keep me busy. They are more than 100 years old and there is always something to maintain, repair, or renew.

Working internationally, among various cultures and mentalities is especially exciting. I was deeply impressed of the laid back and open hearted mentality of the people we worked with in New Zealand for example.

Gunther von Hagens, Inventor of Plastination & Founder of von Hagens Plastination 

My interest in health and medicine came at an early age. I was hospitalized at the age of seven after an injury left me bleeding profusely. It was then that I was diagnosed with hemophilia.  While the experience was life-changing it was not completely negative, I gained something that is still ingrained in me – a deep respect and admiration for healthcare providers. They were and continue to be my heroes.

A desire to improve medical education motivated me to establish von Hagens Plastination. I strive for those studying health and medicine to have access to the best teaching tools, utilizing plastinates to learn about the human body in a way that is not possible with models, books, or other learning tools.

I was always baffled as to why specimens were encased in plastic blocks, or in jars, behind glass. As a kinaesthetic learner, I knew the value in being able to touch and handle a specimen.  This led me to invent plastination in 1977. However, I soon found that it was not only my anatomy students and those in our department who were interested in plastinates. People from all over the university had an interest, this delighted me and made me determined to bring plastinates and anatomy to the masses. I strongly believe in that anatomy should be democratized and not locked up in an ivory tower.

I knew that it would be essential to have plastinates originate from consenting donors. In a quest to bring plastination outside of a clinical setting, I approached the donors already registered with the anatomy department at the university to agree to donate their bodies instead for plastination.  To my delight, the response was overwhelmingly positive and most of them agreed to become the first donors for plastination. 

My goal was to propagate plastination which led me to found BIODUR® Products. To date, BIODUR continues to provide the tools needed for other institutions to perform plastination.  

In the early 90s, plastination was growing in popularity among anatomists, but it was still widely unknown. I was determined to carry on. In 1993 I established the Institute for Plastination, to expand the reach of plastination. Soon after I was invited to present a display of human plastinates for a pharmaceutical company in Germany. It was well received, and I was feeling positive, but it was nothing compared to the first BODY WORLDS exhibition, which debuted in Japan in 1995. My expectations were exceeded –more than 450,000 people came in just 4 months!  The Institute also manages our official body donation program, with more than 20,000 registered donors (including myself).

From there BODY WORLDS and plastination took off. We presented the exhibit in Germany, other parts of Europe, the US, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and Africa. I was then invited by NYU to be a visiting professor at the College of Dentistry. BODY WORLDS has now been to more than 50 countries and has been seen by more than 54 million people. My wife, Dr. Angelina Whalley, and I have created various iterations of the exhibit, including two that focus on the animal kingdom. The journey has been fulfilling and thrilling.

The most rewarding part about presenting the exhibit is learning that BODY WORLDS has inspired young individuals to pursue careers in health and medicine. This led me to my current focus and establishing our laboratory in Guben. We have provided plastinates to more than 400 teaching institutions.  

In 2008 I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, and I had to slow down to take care of my health.   My personal assistant and physiotherapist, Rebecca Brewer, thankfully makes sure of this! I am beyond fortunate that I have a great team in my corner, including the experts you see on this website, and especially my son, Rurik von Hagens who manages our facilities, and Dr. Vladimir Chereiminskiy, my top scholar and Director of Anatomy and Plastination. Without their hard work and dedication, I don’t think we could continue this mission.

When I want to take a break from thinking about plastination I exercise, play my violin, table tennis, or chess with my son…but of course, digging into my vast library of anatomical books is my favorite past-time of all!

Vladimir Chereminskiy, PhD, Director of Anatomy and Plastination

In 1996 I took my first certified training course in plastination, under the guidance of Dr. von Hagens. As I went on to complete my PhD, I continued my training in plastination. Now it is my everyday work and I continue to be fascinated by the process.

I became chief anatomist under Dr. von Hagens in 2003. In 2011 I relocated to the laboratory in Guben, where I serve as Director of Anatomy and Plastination and work with my team of 70. 

It has been an honor to be at the forefront of some of the most exciting projects in our laboratory, including developing new techniques in plastination and the monumental plastination of an African elephant.   However, I have always found neuro specimens the most captivating, because they allow students to learn the delicate structures and the intricacies of the head and neck in a way that’s easy to understand.

Aside from our passion for anatomy, Dr. von Hagens and I share a close friendship.  Working alongside our Managing Director (and Gunther’s son), Rurik von Hagens, I am proud to continue to build on Gunther’s vision of democratizing anatomy. 

I am also an Assistant Professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School.  When I am not in the lab, I enjoy spending time with my two sons, being active, and traveling.

Romy Gallwitz, Positioning

My interest in anatomy led me to seek a career at Gubener Plastinate. I started here in July of 2023. It’s impressive to see how our skeleton is structured, how individual organs come together to form a functioning system, and how our muscles set us in motion. My work in positioning reveals a new understanding of our body and raises my awareness of a healthy lifestyle.

I have a super team around me. My colleagues are very experienced and constantly share their anatomical knowledge. But most of the time I work independently, which allows me to maintain the concentration required to achieve absolute precision. Positioning muscle strands and nerve fibers is a great challenge that I take on gladly.

It is incredibly motivating to know that I am supporting the training of medical professionals with my work. No model or photograph can give insight the way a plastinated specimen can.

Anne Bennewitz, Photographer & Communications Manager

My role allows me to do what I enjoy and am good at: writing, photography, and organizing. I joined the company in March 2023 to support our multi-media department. One of my main tasks is to take high-quality photographs of our specimens. The photos serve as documentation, appear in publications, and form the basis for digital 3D models. The images are also a product of their own, as they are used by universities for teaching and examining.

My other areas of responsibility include creating and developing internal and external corporate communications such as our online and printed marketing collateral like our catalog, our monthly employee newsletter and content for online use, and our social media channels. I am also the contact person for members of the press and I provide marketing support for the PLASTINARIUM.

Our work is very meaningful because our specimens make an important contribution to improving medical education. At the end of the day: that's what makes me feel good. It’s a wonderful validation when I see our work spark the imagination of students, press, or visitors of the PLASTINARIUM. 

Anja Woitke, Sales & Special Projects Manager

It is energizing to work with diverse and international clients. On any given day I will be working with customers in Singapore, the Philippines, or at a top-rated museum somewhere across the globe. 

My role also gives me a unique opportunity to work on special projects.    One of the most memorable was the plastination of a blue whale heart for the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Canada.  It was exciting to receive the ROM’s first inquiry about it, and to see the project come to fruition. The entire process took more than two years. During that time, I coordinated all processes and communication between our offices and the ROM.  It was inspiring to meet all the academics and members of the media who visited us during this time. 

Most recently I have been working on developing our social and digital media strategies, and this website.  I have had the pleasure to work with our talented team since 2010 and look forward to continuing to expand our reach and promote our new projects. I am excited for all the new things to come.

Rurik von Hagens, Managing Director 

Plastination has been a part of my life forever. My father, Gunther von Hagens invented the process before I was even born. Some of my earliest childhood memories are in the lab with him.  It was always exciting to see what he was up to. 

I spent my time off from school, working around my father and his projects. While I helped in the lab occasionally, I preferred working on organizing and planning the exhibitions and public displays. It has always fascinated me to see the reaction of the people experiencing plastinates for the first time. 

After completing a degree in economics and an MBS, I took a job with a large international company, but I always kept an interest in what was going on in plastination.

My father established Gubener Plastinate with the mission to distribute plastinates to universities and to expand our range of teaching tools. Our team had the skill and expertise to make plastinates but lacked organization for everything that had to happen outside of the lab. When Gunther was diagnosed with Parkinson’s it became apparent that he could not oversee the lab and the administration on his own (any longer). As he started to scale back his work, we decided that it was the right time for me to step in as Managing Director. 

Since 2011, I have spent my time between our laboratory in Guben and our offices in Heidelberg. When in Guben you can usually find me meeting with our various departments, giving tours of our facilities, handling general operations, and supporting my father. Spending time in Heidelberg, where our Institute for Plastination is headquartered, allows me to ensure that our entities are working cohesively. Heidelberg continues to be my home, where I spend free time with my family, bicycling, and being outdoors. You might also find me on the road, meeting with our university clients or at conferences. And whenever I can, I enjoy playing a heated game of chess with Gunther.

Nicole Dentz, Digital Media Specialist 

I found my way to Gubener Plastinate in 2017 working on various tasks. My formal training is in media design with a focus on image and sound and I have a solid background in sales. My work and skills have evolved leading me to become a digital media specialist. 

I work on creating our range of Anatomy Glass, the high-resolution reproductions of our body slices. This involves engraving original slices and digitizing the specimens to produce the final pieces. In addition, I work on producing exhibit displays and signage for use in the PLASTINARIUM and BODY WORLDS. 

Most of my other tasks revolve around the PLASTINARIUM organizing marketing, social media and sometimes hosting groups. 

When PLASTINARIUM guests are amazed by our giraffe plastinates, praise our guided tours, leave a good review, and recommend us to others it makes me very proud to be part of the team. I enjoy working on a team whose combined efforts make a positive difference in people’s lives, like getting people to think more seriously about living a healthy lifestyle.

Frank Zscholpig, Dissector

I feel a strong connection to my workplace. When I started here in 2010, I returned to my professional roots, not in terms of my actual job though. Guben was once a hat-making town, where I worked as a hat maker, and today I am a dissector in a building that was once a hat production facility.

I am a craftsman, but I didn’t possess the anatomical knowledge required. So, before I could create specimens for teaching, I had to undergo an apprenticeship. Gunther von Hagens provided me with anatomy books for self-study. My newly acquired knowledge was tested, and I was allowed to start dissecting.

Over time, I gained experience, and now I’m happy to pass on what I have learned to new and younger colleagues. Visitors to the PLASTINARIUM who are observing our work often have many questions which I’m happy to answer. Working on the body has given me a comprehensive understanding of the interplay within us and has increased my appreciation for life and health.

I like that through my work I am contributing to educating people about human anatomy and raising awareness for healthy living.

Florian Zschiesche, Positioner

My job is to precisely align anatomical structures to create the incredible quality, depth and shape our plastinates are known for. I am constantly working on something new. I always welcome challenges such as positioning bespoke plastinates.

No matter how large or small, holding a completed plastinate is the highlight of my work. I still remember the moment I completed my first full-body plastinatination. It was so fulfilling to admire the beauty. I don't know how that feeling could be matched – it was so thrilling! The only thing I can imagine topping that is plastinating a prehistoric creature like a dinosaur, (that is if scientists ever succeed in cloning them). It would be a dream to have Plastination meet Jurassic Park! Joking aside, I find my work enriching. Contributing to the education of future doctors and medical professionals around the globe is motivating.

Marcin Bilicz, Sales Manager

Sales, trade shows, workshops and social media fill my days at von Hagens Plastination. 

I’ve been working here since December 2022.  Anatomy in a professional capacity was new to me at the time, but I’ve learned so much since then!

Working in sales, I know it is essential for me to be knowledgeable and offer the best advice to our customers.  I welcome the opportunity and challenge to learn more and keep copies of Netter’s Anatomy, Gray’s Anatomy, and even Anatomy for Dummies in my office. 

The working environment at von Hagens Plastination is exceptional, the atmosphere is family-oriented and open-minded.  It is nice to be part of a team where my ideas are welcome.  I also greatly enjoy meeting new people at international trade shows.

I will never forget closing my first sale. Not only was it a special, personal sense of achievement, but the customer's gratitude for the excellent quality of our preparations was very satisfying. Positive feedback from our customers is my motivation. 

Kim Apholz, Bone Preparator

I am passionate about bones. During my studies in archaeological sciences, my personal focus was on human remains, particularly bones. They are interesting from scientific, historical, medical, forensic, and cultural perspectives. Studying the bones and skeleton can reveal an individual’s story, provide clues about their lifestyle, and show evidence of disease. 

In April of 2023, I joined Gubener Plastinate GmbH as a dissector. Fortunately, shortly after that, there was a need for additional staff in the Bone Preparation department. I love working in this department because it allows me to fully utilize my knowledge and skills.

My work varies from day to day depending on our projects. You can find me arranging bones by categories, assembling, or repairing skeletons. New tasks arise every day which require a bit of spontaneity and flexibility meaning it never gets boring.

Lisa Pierenkemper, Dissector

My principal role is dissecting specimens to expose anatomical structures. It is much more fascinating than it sounds. Each new donor is unique and allows us to discover unexpected peculiarities and surgical adaptations.  For example, I once came across a lymph node in a neck that was ten centimeters in size! On another occasion, it was mind-blowing to see the incredible number of screws used to fasten a titanium plate to the radius of a wrist.  Because we don’t usually have medical records of donors, there is always the possibility of a surprise.

My duties also include coordinating our morning team which involves preparing the right number of specimens for our staff that day. When I started working as part of the dissection team more than a decade ago, I would have never imagined that I would still be learning new things daily, not only anatomically, but also in terms of new techniques and procedures. Knowing that future medical professionals will learn anatomy from real bodies that we dissect motivates me to keep getting better.