Transcript of the German TV reportage on the Postel experiment 7.06.'07

You certainly still remember Gert Postel well, the convincing imposter, who curiously without training and also without problems managed to work his way up to Head Physician in Saxonia? In 1999 he was sentenced to 4 years detention for repeated fraud and falsifying documents. Meanwhile Postel lives in Marburg and writes books.

From postman to Head Physician of a psychiatric hospital, not everyone can achieve that! Gert Postel, imposter from Bremen succeeded that temporary jump into the honourable society.

MDR:
How are you?
Gert Postel:
Very well, of course!

Flash back: In the mid- 90's Postel from the post office sneaked into a post in the medical service. With falsified references and an absurd lecture, Postel struck the 40 other doctors from the field, became a Head Physician in the Zadrasch psychiatric hospital in Leipzig.

Postel: "There the chairman asked me: 'What did you write your doctorate about?' and I replied: 'About cognitive induced distortions of the stereotyped judgement formation'. That is a lining up of empty terms and his only answer was: "Yes, oh you will certainly feel at ease in Leipzig", you know? And that as imposter among imposters!"

The committee was overwhelmed! Postel soon became a Supervising Head Physician. A world congress of psychiatrists in Dresden now once again prods the 48 year-old into action : "All hot air there!", according to Postel. "I was training representative for the Saxonian Chamber of Doctors, which in itself is a joke. I introduced disease terms which do not even exist, e.g. the 'bipolar depression of the third degree', in front of 120 psychiatrists and not a single one dared to ask a question."

MDR:
Mr. Postel with regard to psychiatry is - let's say - a great sceptic. Does he have a good reason to be one?
Prof. Kallert:
[Shrugging his shoulders] Oh, you know, Mr. Postel is - as far as I know - a convicted imposter.

Actually one shouldn't believe anything an imposter tells you. Nevertheless in the evening hundreds of people came to Postel's reading in the Dresden City Hall. The self-named "social critic" was content.

[Opinions from the public:]
- "He is clever and I am a sympathizer, if you want an exact reply."
- "I have no idea. I am here because I would like to see an imposter."
- "Somehow I compare him with the "Captain of Koepenick."

 In autumn Gert Postel will publish his new book, because he certainly does not want to be a postman anymore. We can definitely trust him about that!