In my interest in learning more about how the teeth of Johannes Brahms and Johann Strauss, Jr. were stolen, I emailed Mr. Ondrej Jajcaj, who had posted a video claiming to be the robber and who had responded to my blog from July 6.
He sent me an email and two photos that I received today. He went out of his way to respond in Englis, which is not his native tongue. I believe he speaks Slovakian. His letter is printed below twice: the first contains my corrections to his English, the second is exactly what he wrote to me. The two pictures are also printed here.
Ondrej Jajcaj’s email to David Nelson, July 14, 2012, with David Nelson’s language corrections:
Please Accept Salutations for You!
I would like to give you some information in a chronological order.
Since my early childhood I have been interested in history of medicine. I was born in 1970. In 1977, I discovered a 1907 magazine about dental medicine in the cellar of an old building in Bratislava. It was written in Hungarian language, and my mother translated it into Slovakian.
Inhabitants of Bratislava changed after 1918, 1945 and 1948, and there were abandoned tombs in cemeteries, especially of Hungarian and German citizen.
In 1984, I tried to open and discover some of these graves with my friend. (As a matter of course, this was ILLEGAL.) In the first one we found a skeleton with gold teeth.
At the time I decided to describe [sic] a history of prosthetic dental medicine. So my illegal research of old tombs began… It wasn´t possible to do it legally, and gravediggers didn´t sleep…
A quick decision was needed. They take teeth but don´t document it. To think that my statement is an alibi is naïve. [To think that this my statement is alibismis naive.]
In 1990, I got to know the Central Cemetery in Vienna, and worked systematically until 1994. I found out that 90% of tombs in Jewish Section had been robbed, while only 50-60% in other older parts had been robbed. This is empirically true! Not my alibist [sic] confabulation! This is based on my practical experience.
In 2002, I decided to highlight my vast collection and at the same time show the fact that tombs in the Central Cemetery are very quickly robbed as a racket – therefore Brahms and Strauss …
Naivety is not wisdom!!! Austria clerical atmosphere is naïve. [Naivitat is nicht Weisenheit !!! Osterreichisch klerikal athmosfere is naivitet.]
I am sorry that work of old dentists in Vienna are disappearing in hands of people who aren´t interested in history of this field at all. [I am sorry that works of old dentist…]
My Vision is an interesting museum that about dental medicine and also thanatofobii [sic] and religions interpretation. [My Vision is interesant museum miror dental medicine …]Science wants courage and dedication and NOT NAIVETY! [NO NAIVE!]
Under my management is also a jewel from J. Strauss’s coffin – an ideal exhibition [exposition] for the Theater Museum in Vienna.
Ondrej Jajcaj’s email to David Nelson, July 14, 2012, as written:
Dear Dr. David Nelson
Please Accept Salutatio for You !
I would like to give You some information in a chronologicaly order.
Since my early chilhood I have been interested in history of medicine. I was born in 1970. In 1977 I discovered in a cellar of an old building in Bratislava a magazine of 1907 about dental medicine. It was written in Hungarian language. My mother translating of Hungarian to Slowak language.
Inhabitans of Bratislava changed after 1918, 1945 and 1948 and thre were abandoned tombs in cemeteries. They were especially of Hungarian and German citizen.
In 1984 I tried to open and discover some of them with my friend. ( as a mater of course ILEGAL) In the first one we found a skeleton with gold teeth. – At the time I decided to describe a history of protetic dental medicine. So my illegal research of old tombs began… It wasn´t possible to do it legally and gravediggers didn´t sleep…
A quick decision was needed. They take teeth but don´t documentate it. To think that this my statement is alibismis naive.
In 1990 I got to know Zentral friedhof Wien. Until 1994 I worked systematically. I found out that 90 % of tomb in Judish abteilung were robbed. While in other older parts it is aproximativ 50-60% !!! This is empric True ! Not my alibist confabulation ! – This is based on my practical experience.
In 2002 I decided to highlighten my vast collection and at the same time show the fact that tombs in zentral cemetries are robbed very quickly as a racket – therefore Brahms and Strauss …
Naivitat is nicht Weisenheit !!! Osterreichisch klerikal athmosfere is naivitet .
I am sorry that works of old dentist in Wien are disappering in hands of people that aren´t interested in history of this field at all.
My Vision is interesant museum miror dental medicine and also thanatofobii and religions interpretation. Science wants courage and dedication and NO NAIVE !
Under my management is also jewel of J.Strauss coffin – ideal expozition for Theater Museum Wien.