Career

He joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in 1940. He was best known as a professor of psychiatry and neurology, and director of the University Psychiatric Hospital in Göttingen from 1958 until his death. His main work: Die beginnende Schizophrenie.

Versuch einer Gestaltanalyse des Wahns (1958), describes the early state of schizophrenia and the typical schizophrenic aspects.

From this monograph, terms as "Trema", "Apophänie" (apophany), and "Überstieg" were coined.