Chopin's Heart, Pickled in Poland

While finishing my Warsaw piece I came across a new tidbit of unusual information, it involves Fredric Chopin. Chopin requested that his heart be sent to Poland after he died, it was and was enshrined in a pillar at Warsaw’s Holy Cross Church. He was 39 when he died and the heart was preserved in alcohol and sent in 1849. During the tough times of WWII the heart was removed for safe keeping. In 1951 before being returned the heart was examined and found perfectly preserved. Recently scientists wanted to remove the heart to test for DNA. The reason was to determine if Chopin died of cystic fibrosis as opposed to tuberculosis. The Polish government doesn’t think it good enough cause to pull out the heart of the revered Chopin. The alcohol thought used to preserve Chopin’s ticker, cognac. One can only guess that the French used what was handy before sending his heart from France to Warsaw.