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Human Lampshade: A Holocaust Mystery

Published
  • The lampshade's tassels at Microtrace Lab in Chicago.
  • A small piece of metal cut from the human skin lampshade is held between the fingers of George Vander-Voort, Specialist in Metallography at Struer's Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio, as he studies it and prepares for testing.
  • Carol Abraczisteas, a fellow metallurgist, and Alan Stone, Founder and President of Aston Metallurgical Services, examining the lampshade with gloves at Aston Metallurgical Services in Chicago.
  • From left to right: George Vander Voort, Principal Engineer at Aston Metallurgical Services, Marc Jacobson, the lamp's owner an author of the book 'The Human Lampshade', Carol Abraczisteas, a fellow metallurgist, and Alan Stone, Founder and President of Aston Metallurgical Services, examine the lampshade at Aston Metallurgical Services in Chicago.
  • George Vander Voort, Specialist in Metallography at Struer's Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio, programs a precision cut-off machine to split the sample cut from the human lampshade
  • This lampshade is reported to have come from Buchenwald concentration camp, where artifacts we reported to have been made from human skin.
  • George Vander Voort, an expert in metallurgy, looks at a lampshade sample taken from the metal frame.
  • Mark Jacobson looking at the lampshade in his house in Brooklyn.
  • Chris Palenik, as he cuts a piece of stitching from the lampshade.
  • Ilse Koch, the wife of the Commandant of Buchenwald Concentration camp, was reported to have had lampshades made from human skin.
  • Todd R. Disotell, a molecular biologist with NYU, cuts a piece of the lampshade for DNA testing.
  • Archival footage of a lampshade reported to be made of human skin.
  • Ilse and Karl Koch, posing for a photo. Commandant Koch was in charge of Buchenwald Concentration Camp, the camp where lampshades were reported to have been made.
  • Louise Devenish, a lamp expert, talks to Mark Jacobson, the lamp's owner and author of the book 'The Human Lampshade', in a lamp shop called 'City Knickerbocker' in New York.
  • Terell Elders, at P.E. Guerin, cuts a piece of the metal frame from the lampshade, to get tested and see if the metal came from the era of WWII.
  • Mark Jacobson on the phone with Christopher Palenik, talking about the stitching of the fiber, while the lampshade sits close by.
  • Todd Disotell, a DNA analyst and Professor at NYU, and Mark Jacobson, the lamp's owner and author of the book, 'The Human Lampshade', analyzing the lampshade under a PCR (clean) hood at the NYU laboratory.
  • The lampshade under a PCR (clean) hood as it is being analyzed at the lab at NYU, Todd Disotell, a DNA analyst and Professor at NYU, holds scissors and prepares to take a sample for DNA testing.
  • Steven Hoggard, the film's producer, examines the lampshade as it sits on a table at Microtrace Lab in Chicago, waiting for fabrics testing.
  • Chris Palenick, a research microscopist at Microtrace Lab in Chicago, examines the lampshade's stitching and tassels with a magnifying glass.
  • The lampshade sitting on it's travel box at Microtrace Lab in Chicago, waiting for fabrics testing.
  • Chris Palenik, a research microscopist at Microtrace Lab in Chicago, examines the lampshade under UV light.
  • Chris Palenick, a research microscopist at Microtrace Lab in Chicago, examines the lampshade's stitching.
  • A small metal sample cut from the human lampshade sits in a mold with epoxy waiting to harden, a process that allows for more ease when handling and cutting the sample for inspection and testing.

  • Tons of Tassels

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    The lampshade's tassels at Microtrace Lab in Chicago.

  • Off For Testing

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels/ Hoggard Films

    A small piece of metal cut from the human skin lampshade is held between the fingers of George Vander-Voort, Specialist in Metallography at Struer's Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio, as he studies it and prepares for testing.

  • Careful Exam

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Carol Abraczisteas, a fellow metallurgist, and Alan Stone, Founder and President of Aston Metallurgical Services, examining the lampshade with gloves at Aston Metallurgical Services in Chicago.

  • Surrounding the Lampshade

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    From left to right: George Vander Voort, Principal Engineer at Aston Metallurgical Services, Marc Jacobson, the lamp's owner an author of the book 'The Human Lampshade', Carol Abraczisteas, a fellow metallurgist, and Alan Stone, Founder and President of Aston Metallurgical Services, examine the lampshade at Aston Metallurgical Services in Chicago.

  • Precision Testing

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels/ Hoggard Films

    George Vander Voort, Specialist in Metallography at Struer's Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio, programs a precision cut-off machine to split the sample cut from the human lampshade

  • The Human Lampshade

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    This lampshade is reported to have come from Buchenwald concentration camp, where artifacts we reported to have been made from human skin.

  • Deciphering the Sample

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    George Vander Voort, an expert in metallurgy, looks at a lampshade sample taken from the metal frame.

  • In a Different Light

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Mark Jacobson looking at the lampshade in his house in Brooklyn.

  • Cutting Carefully

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Chris Palenik, as he cuts a piece of stitching from the lampshade.

  • Ilse Koch

    Photograph by Public Domain

    Ilse Koch, the wife of the Commandant of Buchenwald Concentration camp, was reported to have had lampshades made from human skin.

  • Finding a Genetic Line

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Todd R. Disotell, a molecular biologist with NYU, cuts a piece of the lampshade for DNA testing.

  • Historical Finds

    Photograph by Public Domain

    Archival footage of a lampshade reported to be made of human skin.

  • Concentration Camp Commander

    Photograph by Public Domain

    Ilse and Karl Koch, posing for a photo. Commandant Koch was in charge of Buchenwald Concentration Camp, the camp where lampshades were reported to have been made.

  • Lamp Talk

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Louise Devenish, a lamp expert, talks to Mark Jacobson, the lamp's owner and author of the book 'The Human Lampshade', in a lamp shop called 'City Knickerbocker' in New York.

  • Testing Accuracy

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Terell Elders, at P.E. Guerin, cuts a piece of the metal frame from the lampshade, to get tested and see if the metal came from the era of WWII.

  • Fiber Phone Call

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Mark Jacobson on the phone with Christopher Palenik, talking about the stitching of the fiber, while the lampshade sits close by.

  • Protecting the Lamp

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Todd Disotell, a DNA analyst and Professor at NYU, and Mark Jacobson, the lamp's owner and author of the book, 'The Human Lampshade', analyzing the lampshade under a PCR (clean) hood at the NYU laboratory.

  • Preparing a Sample

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    The lampshade under a PCR (clean) hood as it is being analyzed at the lab at NYU, Todd Disotell, a DNA analyst and Professor at NYU, holds scissors and prepares to take a sample for DNA testing.

  • Hoggard's Observation

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Steven Hoggard, the film's producer, examines the lampshade as it sits on a table at Microtrace Lab in Chicago, waiting for fabrics testing.

  • Close Up Inspection

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Chris Palenick, a research microscopist at Microtrace Lab in Chicago, examines the lampshade's stitching and tassels with a magnifying glass.

  • Fragile Travel

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    The lampshade sitting on it's travel box at Microtrace Lab in Chicago, waiting for fabrics testing.

  • UV Testing

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Chris Palenik, a research microscopist at Microtrace Lab in Chicago, examines the lampshade under UV light.

  • Stitching Expert

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Chris Palenick, a research microscopist at Microtrace Lab in Chicago, examines the lampshade's stitching.

  • Easing the Inspection

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels/ Hoggard Films

    A small metal sample cut from the human lampshade sits in a mold with epoxy waiting to harden, a process that allows for more ease when handling and cutting the sample for inspection and testing. 

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