Dr. Mark Benecke - Plötzliche Selbstentzündung

In the organizer's words:

Murder is his profession - his work begins where others turn away in disgust: Corpses, putrefaction and, above all, insects are part of Dr. Mark Benecke's everyday life. The 51-year-old forensic biologist uses his knowledge to help solve many a case. The scientist's appearances, in which he spills the beans, are not for the faint-hearted - but are above all exciting and informative for anyone who is curious.

Dr. Mark Benecke is an internationally sought-after expert in forensic entomology, as his specialist field within criminal biology is called - in other words, the study of insects, which sometimes plays an important role in solving deaths and crimes. What's more, he really brings this area of investigation into the public eye.

From theater to criminalistics

Mark Benecke originally studied psychology, German and theater studies in Cologne. He then switched to biology and took psychology as a minor subject. His doctorate already showed where he was heading: Benecke chose genetic fingerprints as his subject. After university, Benecke went to the USA. There he completed a number of forensic medical training courses, including with the FBI.

In 1997, he worked as a forensic biologist on a case that brought him to the attention of investigators for the first time. A pastor is suspected of having beaten his wife to death. Her body is found in a wooded area. The suspect denies his presence at the crime scene.

Dr. Mark Benecke uses blowfly larvae on the body to prove that the wife's death occurred at a time for which the husband has no alibi. The pastor is finally convicted when Benecke discovers an ant on the man's rubber boot, which can be assigned to the place where the body was found.

However, Dr. Mark Benecke has little to do with the image of a strict scientist in a white lab coat. His tattoos, fashionable glasses and casual clothes make him look more like a student. But "Dr. Made" should not be underestimated: He also clears up cases that are considered hopeless. That's why he's always called in when the criminal investigation department gets nowhere.

A real all-rounder

Time and again, thousands of people attend a tour by Dr. Mark Benecke. The scientist has almost half a million subscribers on Facebook. Not bad, considering the subject matter he talks about.

Even if it's basically about criminology, Dr. Mark Benecke's tours are dedicated to a wide variety of topics. For example, the skull of Adolf Hitler sometimes takes center stage. Benecke examines the skull, or more precisely a jawbone, of Adolf Hitler in Russia in 2015. Dr. Mark Benecke packs the results of his scientific investigations into a show that is both informative and captivating.

In addition to his work as a scientist and his appearances, he also writes popular science books - with great success: several of them have reached the top of the bestseller lists of "Der Spiegel" magazine and have been translated into other languages. He does not focus exclusively on criminology, but also on other scientific topics such as ageing and the coronavirus.

The co-author of some of his books is his ex-wife - the criminal psychologist Lydia Benecke, with whom Dr. Mark Benecke remains friends even after their divorce. His wife Ines Fischer, on the other hand, helps him with his lectures and his appearances on social media.

The self-confessed vegan Benecke also sings in a band, plays in the theater, publishes a podcast entitled "Der Benecke", is politically active and is chairman of the "Pro Tattoo" association. Incidentally, his own tattoos are part of an exhibition at Leipzig's Grassi Museum of Ethnology.

The secret of his success: he can captivate the audience and bring even dry scientific processes to life. Tickets for Dr. Mark Benecke are therefore worthwhile for anyone interested in criminology, science or simply crime thrillers.