March 2, 1978
The grave of Charlie Chaplin was discovered desecrated and his body stolen in Switzerland.
Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland | Swiss Police
On March 2, 1978, the grave of legendary comedian and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin was discovered to have been desecrated in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland. Following this discovery, it was found that his body had been stolen in a calculated act of grave robbing.
Charlie Chaplin, renowned for his influence on the film industry during the silent film era, passed away on December 25, 1977, in Switzerland. He had spent his final years at his estate, the Manoir de Ban, near Lake Geneva. Chaplin was buried in the Corsier-sur-Vevey cemetery after a private family funeral.
The grave desecration was discovered by the caretaker of the cemetery, who noticed that the site had been disturbed. The Chaplin family’s mourning was further compounded when it became clear that this was not a random act of vandalism but a premeditated theft. Swiss police launched an extensive investigation to recover Chaplin’s remains.
Two months after the body was stolen, the investigation led to the arrest of two individuals: Roman Wardas, a Polish refugee, and Gantscho Ganev, a Bulgarian. The perpetrators had orchestrated the theft with a financial motive, intending to extort the Chaplin family by demanding a ransom for the return of Charlie Chaplin’s body.
The police eventually located Chaplin’s remains buried in a cornfield approximately 15 kilometers from the original gravesite on May 16, 1978. After recovering the body, authorities swiftly reburied Chaplin in the same cemetery in Corsier-sur-Vevey. This time, his grave was reinforced with concrete to prevent any future theft attempts.
Roman Wardas, considered the mastermind of this plot, was sentenced to four and a half years of hard labor, while Gantscho Ganev received an 18-month suspended sentence. Their trial revealed the dire personal circumstances that drove them to conceive the extortion scheme.
This unusual and macabre event attracted worldwide attention, highlighting themes of celebrity, morality, and the lengths individuals might go for financial gain. It also underscored global fascination with Chaplin’s legacy, emphasizing the enduring significance of his contributions to film and culture.
Source: historydaily.org