Hi Jonathan, I don't think I would increase the hydration, but you might want to try reducing the baking temperature a bit, especially towards the end of the bake. What temperature are you baking at and for how long? I'm not a big fan of determining doneness by internal temperature readings, but 196F doesn't seem like an overly high reading for this type of bread. Your results are a bit surprising, frankly, since normally 100% whole rye breads tend to be rather dense and moist. You could certainly try baking in a pullman pan, but I'm not sure I would leave the lid on beyond the first 20 minutes of the bake, since your bread will need to release a good deal of moisture in order for the internal structure to set proplerly.  If your bread is flattening out considerably during baking, the pullman pan (without the lid) might well provide the structure you need. Check out our Volkornbrot recipe for an alternative recipe that might work better for you.

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