Career
Gehl served as the Chairman of the West Prussian District League of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (Social Democratic Party of Germany). Gehl was a prominent leader of the Social Democratic Party of the during the interbellum years, serving as its chairman and parliamentary faction leader. Gehl also served as Vice President of the Senate of the Free City.
Gehl was a masonry apprentice between 1884 and 1887.
In until 1890 he was active in the masons" guild. Between 1900 to 1912 he was an official of the Free Association of German Masons.
Gehl was editor of the newspaper Volkswacht, published from Danzig, between 1917 and 1918. In 1919 Gehl was elected to the German National Assembly, having stood as an Social Democratic Party of Germany candidate in the second electoral district (West Prussia).´
When the was formed, the Danzig branch of Social Democratic Party of Germany reconstructed themselves as a separate party, the Social Democratic Party of the Gehl was the party chairman 1919-1920.
He then became the chairman of the parliamentary faction of the party.
Gehl served as Vice President of the Senate of the from August 1925 to March 1931 and twice President of the Volkstag. Gehl was the editor of the party organ Danziger Volksstimme.