Lotti and Rosemarie Knaak were conjoiend twins born in Germany.
Life
Lotti (or Lette) and Rosemarie (or Gitta) Knaak were born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1951. Joined at the tops of their heads, the Knaak twins were exhibited by their parents at fairs and festivals throughout Germany. In 1953 their father, postman Kurt Knaak, learned of the separation of the Brodie twins from Illinois, and sought a similar operation for his daughters. Dr. Peter Roettigen of Bonn University originally agreed to perform the surgery, but it wasn't until 1957, when the twins were nearly six years old, that they were separated. Lotti died in surgery.
The Brodie twins' operation, though considered groundbreaking at the time, also ended in tragedy. Roger Lee, the weaker brother, died in January of 1953, just over a month after the operation. Rodney Dee survived to the age of 11, but suffered from severe neurological damage. Because his skull was never closed, he wore a helmet until his death.