The wild child: case study and development

¶ … Wild Child

To Whom it May Concern:

It is the decided opinion of investigators as well as medical personal that the individual known as Kaspar Hauser is definitively the kidnapped prince of the royal House of Baden. The reasons for this opinion can be explained through empirical analysis of the information provided both by the individual known as Kaspar Hauser and the work of the researchers involved in the investigation. Among the myriad of reasons behind this decision are the way in which he was held, the characteristics of royalty shown in the young man in question, and his untimely death which indicates his true parentage.

The individual in question has no memory of his life outside of the cell in which he spent his formative years. Such imprisonment would only likely be necessary if the person was likely to be recognized in a more hospitable situation. By keeping the child locked away in his cell, the kidnappers ensured that their charge was never discovered (Bondeson 79). His alleged foster parentage is highly suspicious. The man who sent the letter along with the boy indicates that he asked the alleged mother nothing of the child nor did he alert the police that the boy had been given to him (Bondeson 75). Unless the foster parent understood of the true nature of the child, there is no reason for the police not to have been alerted to the child's existence.

Hauser's physical appearance has been compared to other members of the royal family and an uncanny resemblance is easily discerned. In addition to this physical resemblance, the young man showed himself to be highly intelligent despite the horrible conditions in which he lived, indicating the natural abilities and aptitude of a member of royalty. The boy is highly polite which, according to him is because of his upbringing, but is likely due to his royal nature which would demand good manners at all times (Bondeson 84). This aspect of the child's upbringing is also highly significant. Hauser was taught to remove his hat and bow to those who were his social betters. As a prince he would of course be the ultimate better in any social setting and so this forcing him into submissiveness furthers the kidnapper's sense of power over not only the boy but the larger royal family. He has become literate in a relatively short amount of time and has indicated an interest in music and other culturally significant aspects of life. Such would be the case for someone of royal blood.

Kaspar Hauser's murder also leads credence to the belief that he was in fact the kidnapped prince of the House of Baden. His ability to read and write, not to mention to speak more eloquently, suggests that the young man might soon be able to recall his origins and perhaps the individuals responsible for his imprisonment. While in the community, Hauser has not made enemies nor has he achieved any particular economic standing which should make him the target of assassins. Yet, he was murdered most heinously, nor was his untimely stabbing the first attempt on the boy's life. This determination to kill a young man who has done no ill to anyone indicates that he must have had substantial importance to the individual who wanted him dead.