Gert Postel
Encyclopedia
Gert Postel is a German impostor
, best known for successfully applying as a medical doctor several times without ever having received medical education.
Gert Postel went to Hauptschule
and finished his training as a mail carrier
. Postel himself said that his mother died because of a maladministered depression
treatment and that he himself had briefly been in a juvenile ward. From these events, he claimed to have gained the motivation to expose and embarrass psychiatry
.
using the pseudonym
of "Dr. med. Dr. phil.
Clemens Bartholdy". When asked about his dissertation's subject, he reportedly replied "On Pseudologia phantastica [with regard to] the example of the character Felix Krull from the homonymous novel by Thomas Mann
and cognitively induced biases in stereotypical judgment".
Due to coincidence, his true identity was discovered in April 1983 and Postel had to leave his position in public service. In 1984, he received a suspended sentence
and was placed on probation
for multiple instances of forgery
of documents, unauthorized assumption of academic titles and forgery of health certificates. Also during the eighties, by his own account, he lived seven years in a partnership with a female judge.
Other employments as a medical doctor followed, e.g. in a private clinic and as a surgeon major with the Bundeswehr
.
Senior physician at Zschadraß
After studying theology
for a while, Postel managed to return to medical service in 1995. Using his birth name, he obtained the position of a senior physician in a clinic specialized on neurology and psychiatry in Zschadraß
near Leipzig
. As a part of his job, he issued psychiatric expertises and held lectures for medical doctors without raising suspicion with anyone. By chance, a co-worker recognised him on July 10, 1997, forcing him to go into hiding. At that time, an appointment was already set for an interview with Hans Geisler, then Saxony
's Minister of State
for social affairs, health and family, on the occasion of Postel's appointment to a professorship and to the position of chief of medicine at Saxony's hospital for psychiatry and neurology at Arnsdorf near Dresden
.
in Leipzig sentenced him to four years in jail for repeated imposture and forgery of documents. Following his probationary release in January 2001, Postel published an account of his experiences, titled "Doktorspiele" (Playing Doctor). Intended to be an exposure of psychiatric establishment, the book made him an idol within the anti-psychiatry
movement in Germany.
broadcast an NDR
-produced docudrama
titled "Der Unwiderstehliche – Die 1000 Lügen des Gert Postel" ("The Irresistible One - The Thousand Lies of Gert Postel"), directed by Kai Christiansen. The film features both re-enacted scenes and footage from an interview with Postel.
In contrast to the broadly sympathising stance towards Postel in the German media —who drew comparisons with the "Captain of Köpenick", Wilhelm Voigt
— the film takes a far more critical approach, including themes like narcissism
. It also makes mention of Postel's alleged stalking
of several women, including a prosecutor investigating his case, and intimidation of a patient in Zschadraß, whom according to her own account Postel had threatened with transferral to a locked ward, for challenging his method of treatment.
Impostor
An impostor or imposter is a person who pretends to be somebody else, often to try to gain financial or social advantages through social engineering, but just as often for purposes of espionage or law enforcement....
, best known for successfully applying as a medical doctor several times without ever having received medical education.
Gert Postel went to Hauptschule
Hauptschule
A Hauptschule is a secondary school in Germany and Austria, starting after 4 years of elementary schooling, which offers Lower Secondary Education according to the International Standard Classification of Education...
and finished his training as a mail carrier
Mail carrier
A mail carrier, mailman, postal carrier, postman, postwoman , postman/postwoman , letter carrier or postie is an employee of the post office or postal service, who delivers mail and parcel post to residences and businesses...
. Postel himself said that his mother died because of a maladministered depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
treatment and that he himself had briefly been in a juvenile ward. From these events, he claimed to have gained the motivation to expose and embarrass psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
.
Public health officer in Flensburg
In September 1982, Postel successfully applied for the position of assistant public health officer in FlensburgFlensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
using the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of "Dr. med. Dr. phil.
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
Clemens Bartholdy". When asked about his dissertation's subject, he reportedly replied "On Pseudologia phantastica [with regard to] the example of the character Felix Krull from the homonymous novel by Thomas Mann
Thomas Mann
Thomas Mann was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and 1929 Nobel Prize laureate, known for his series of highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novellas, noted for their insight into the psychology of the artist and the intellectual...
and cognitively induced biases in stereotypical judgment".
Due to coincidence, his true identity was discovered in April 1983 and Postel had to leave his position in public service. In 1984, he received a suspended sentence
Suspended sentence
A suspended sentence is a legal term for a judge's delaying of a defendant's serving of a sentence after they have been found guilty, in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation...
and was placed on probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
for multiple instances of forgery
Forgery
Forgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
of documents, unauthorized assumption of academic titles and forgery of health certificates. Also during the eighties, by his own account, he lived seven years in a partnership with a female judge.
Other employments as a medical doctor followed, e.g. in a private clinic and as a surgeon major with the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
.
Senior physician at ZschadraßZschadraßZschadraß is a village and a former municipality in the Leipzig district in Saxony, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Colditz....
forensic psychiatryForensic psychiatryForensic psychiatry is a sub-speciality of psychiatry and an auxiliar science of criminology. It encompasses the interface between law and psychiatry...
After studying theologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
for a while, Postel managed to return to medical service in 1995. Using his birth name, he obtained the position of a senior physician in a clinic specialized on neurology and psychiatry in Zschadraß
Zschadraß
Zschadraß is a village and a former municipality in the Leipzig district in Saxony, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Colditz....
near Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. As a part of his job, he issued psychiatric expertises and held lectures for medical doctors without raising suspicion with anyone. By chance, a co-worker recognised him on July 10, 1997, forcing him to go into hiding. At that time, an appointment was already set for an interview with Hans Geisler, then Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
's Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
for social affairs, health and family, on the occasion of Postel's appointment to a professorship and to the position of chief of medicine at Saxony's hospital for psychiatry and neurology at Arnsdorf near Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
.
Imprisonment
Gert Postel was arrested on May 12, 1998. In 1999, the state courtJudiciary of Germany
The Judiciary of Germany is based on the concept of the , in which the exercise of governmental power is constrained by law. Federal law delineates the structure of the judiciary, but the administration of most courts is regulated by the states of Germany which are responsible for the lower levels...
in Leipzig sentenced him to four years in jail for repeated imposture and forgery of documents. Following his probationary release in January 2001, Postel published an account of his experiences, titled "Doktorspiele" (Playing Doctor). Intended to be an exposure of psychiatric establishment, the book made him an idol within the anti-psychiatry
Anti-psychiatry
Anti-psychiatry is a configuration of groups and theoretical constructs that emerged in the 1960s, and questioned the fundamental assumptions and practices of psychiatry, such as its claim that it achieves universal, scientific objectivity. Its igniting influences were Michel Foucault, R.D. Laing,...
movement in Germany.
The irresistible
In 2002, ARDARD (broadcaster)
ARD is a joint organization of Germany's regional public-service broadcasters...
broadcast an NDR
Norddeutscher Rundfunk
Norddeutscher Rundfunk is a public radio and television broadcaster, based in Hamburg. In addition to the city-state of Hamburg, NDR transmits for the German states of Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein...
-produced docudrama
Docudrama
In film, television programming and staged theatre, docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re-enactments of actual historical events. As a neologism, the term is often confused with docufiction....
titled "Der Unwiderstehliche – Die 1000 Lügen des Gert Postel" ("The Irresistible One - The Thousand Lies of Gert Postel"), directed by Kai Christiansen. The film features both re-enacted scenes and footage from an interview with Postel.
In contrast to the broadly sympathising stance towards Postel in the German media —who drew comparisons with the "Captain of Köpenick", Wilhelm Voigt
Wilhelm Voigt
Friedrich Wilhelm Voigt was a German impostor who masqueraded as a Prussian military officer in 1906 and became famous as The Captain of Köpenick ....
— the film takes a far more critical approach, including themes like narcissism
Narcissism
Narcissism is a term with a wide range of meanings, depending on whether it is used to describe a central concept of psychoanalytic theory, a mental illness, a social or cultural problem, or simply a personality trait...
. It also makes mention of Postel's alleged stalking
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
of several women, including a prosecutor investigating his case, and intimidation of a patient in Zschadraß, whom according to her own account Postel had threatened with transferral to a locked ward, for challenging his method of treatment.