Karl Wilhelm Naundorff

Karl Wilhelm Naundorff (also Obernaundorf; * 1785; ? † August 10, 1845 in Delft ) was a German watchmaker, who claimed until his death, Louis XVII. occurred from France to be, and as a pretender to the throne.

In 1810 he became the Prussian citizens in Spandau. In 1821 he moved to Brandenburg an der Havel. There he was first accused of arson and jailed in 1824 for three years for forgery and fraud.

After his release, he went around the year 1827/1828 according to Gossen, where he already posed as Duke of Normandy. Naundorff claimed to have been abducted from Paris to America and brought back. Evidence he provided none.

In 1834 he was invited to Paris, where a claim of the Duke of Richmond was on the throne for trial. Naundorff was cited as a counter-claim.

Although Naundorff barely spoke French, he managed several former members of the court of Louis XVI. to convince them that he was the Dauphin. Among them was the nanny of Louis XVII. , Agathe de Rambaud. He said to them, as if he knew her from childhood. He also managed to give most questions one correct answer.

Marie Thérèse Charlotte, the eldest sister of Prince Ludwig, however, recognized on a picture you submitted any similarities with her brother and refused to see Naundorff.

1836 called on Naundorff Marie Thérèse to hand over property that actually belonged to him. Then he detained the police forces of King Louis Philippe and deported him to England. There he tried unsuccessfully to build a bomb. Then he said he wanted to re- ascend the throne on 1 January 1840. When the date passed, he lost the majority of his supporters.

Naundorff died on 10 August 1845 in the Netherlands, possibly from poisoning. He had there still supporters, because standing on his grave: "Here lies Louis XVII. King of France ".

However, it should be clarified whether the heart in St. Denis could not originate from the brother of the Dauphin, Louis Joseph (1781-1789), who died at Castle Meudon. Rumors about it already existed in the early 19th century. In later Exhumierungsversuchen the body of Louis XVII. found himself an empty coffin. Other inconsistencies are the body times, which were discovered at death Naundorffs and with those of Louis XVII. coincide: the scar on his lip, the birthmark on the leg, above the teeth and Triangelmal vaccination.

An unexplained oddity is that Naundorff in Spandau and Krusty without proof of birth certificate got the civil rights, which was very unusual. Also in the assumed birthplace Weimar was found in the 19th century no birth registration.