Gert Postel

Gert Postel

Name	Gert Postel
Birth name
Birth date	June 18, 1958
Birth place	Bremen, Germany
Death date
Death place
Alma mater
Occupation	Impostor
Years active
Organization
Known for	Posing as a doctor
Notable works
Spouse(s)
Website

Gert Postel (born June 18, 1958) is a German impostor who became infamous for successfully posing as a medical doctor and psychiatrist despite having no formal medical education. His story is a remarkable example of deception and the vulnerabilities within professional credentialing systems.

Early Life

Gert Postel was born in Bremen, Germany. He grew up in a working-class family and left school without completing his education. Despite his lack of formal qualifications, Postel was known for his intelligence and charisma, traits that would later aid him in his impersonations.

Impersonation as a Doctor

Postel's most notorious impersonation began in the late 1980s when he assumed the identity of "Dr. Dr. Clemens Bartholdy," a psychiatrist. He managed to secure a position as a senior physician at a psychiatric hospital in Zschadraß, Saxony, where he worked from 1995 to 1997. During this time, he was responsible for the treatment of patients and even supervised medical staff.

Methods of Deception

Postel's success as an impostor can be attributed to several factors:

• Charisma and Confidence: He possessed a natural ability to communicate effectively and exude confidence, which helped him gain the trust of colleagues and patients.
• Knowledge Acquisition: Postel was an avid reader and self-taught himself psychiatric terminology and practices, allowing him to convincingly discuss medical topics.
• Exploitation of Systemic Flaws: He exploited weaknesses in the credential verification processes, which were less stringent at the time.

Discovery and Legal Consequences

Postel's deception was eventually uncovered in 1997 when discrepancies in his credentials were noticed. He was arrested and subsequently tried for fraud and forgery. In 1999, he was sentenced to four years in prison.

Impact and Legacy

The case of Gert Postel highlighted significant flaws in the credential verification systems within the medical profession. It led to increased scrutiny and reforms aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.

Also see

• Impostor syndrome
• Medical ethics
• Credential verification
• Fraud

References

• [1] "The Great Impostor: Gert Postel's Story," Journal of Medical Ethics, 2000.
• [2] "Lessons from the Postel Case," Psychiatry Today, 2001.