Anonymous Report #0014

Anonymous Report #0014

General Medicine  ·  Hell, Germany
80 daily fines: 5,600 €. Ongoing proceedings at the medical association.
Case Report — Documentation

Type of persecution

  • State criminal prosecution
  • Criminal prosecution by the medical association counsel
  • Disciplinary proceedings (medical association)
  • Home search and practice search
  • Public discrediting by the local press

Accusation

Issuance of false health certificates pursuant to § 278 of the German Criminal Code (issuing false health certificates). Allegation: having issued 22 mask exemption certificates without personal examination.

What actually happened?

I spoke personally with all 22 patients and took a thorough medical history. I examined 13 of them in the practice. The certificates were issued on the basis of medical findings. Particularly with the children, the symptoms were so severe that, even without an examination, it was beyond doubt that they could no longer wear a mask. The certificates were in accordance with my medical conviction, the current state of science, and the Declaration of Geneva.

— Anonymous Report #0014

Current Status

  • First-instance judgment: 10,500 penalty (150 daily fines)
  • Appeal in November 2025: judgment of 80 daily fines = 5,600 €
  • Since 23 February 2026, medical association disciplinary proceedings have been underway at the medical association
Impact — Documentation

Professional impact

  • Practice had to be closed
  • Building a new life abroad

Financial impact

  • Legal fees to date approximately 10,000 €
  • Damage to reputation in Germany
  • Loss of several hundred thousand € due to having to rebuild a new life

Personal impact

  • Sleep disturbances, depressive episodes
  • Social withdrawal after negative media coverage
  • Emigration

Collegial reactions

  • Some individual colleagues expressed solidarity
  • The majority, however, distanced themselves, including long-standing practice partners.

Press reactions

  • The regional daily newspaper reported repeatedly in 2021 and 2022 in a defamatory, unobjective and reputation-damaging manner
  • A complaint to the press council was unsuccessful

Outlook

Despite everything, I would act the same way again. My patients had a right to individual medical assessment, and I had the duty to provide it to them. I hope that this documentation will help the public learn what has happened to physicians in this country – and that something like this does not happen again.

Chronology

July to Nov. 2020:
Issuance of mask exemptions for patients with medical indication in 22 cases
Feb. 2021:
Home search of practice and private residence, seizure of patient files and IT equipment
Jan. 2022:
We leave Germany and build a new life abroad
June 2022:
1st hearing at the district court
November 2025:
Appeal at the regional court
From February 2026:
Ongoing proceedings at the court of appeals
Note on responsibility

The information in this case report comes from the affected person themselves. The editorial team verifies whether a criminal or professional prosecution has taken place; it cannot verify the factual accuracy of every single statement. Responsibility for the correctness of the account lies with the respective author.

Name
Anonymous Report #0014
Specialty
General Medicine
Additional qualifications
Anthroposophic medicine, acupuncture
Special Functions
Further training qualification in general medicine
Position
Owner of a family practice with approximately 1,000 regular patients until mid-2019, thereafter private practice
Location
Hell, Germany
Age
68 years
Practicing since
1990
Persecuted since
Februar 2021 Haus- und Praxisdurchsuchung
Documented since
Apr 16, 2026
Status
80 daily fines: 5,600 €. Ongoing proceedings at the medical association.
Do you know this case?

Help us complete the documentation.

Submit information

More cases

Dr. med. Thomas Külken Case #0003
Dr. med. Thomas Külken
General medicine · Staufen i. Br., Germany

Accusation: Issuing 16 mask exemption certificates allegedly without personal examination

Appeal proceedings ended with a discontinuation against a condition (€4,000 to Doctors Without Borders) – no conviction, no admission of guilt. Second indictment (37 certificates) still open.
Dr. med. Günther Riedl Case #0017
Dr. med. Günther Riedl
Pediatrician · Uelzen, Germany

Accusation: Ausstellung unrichtiger Gesundheitszeugnisse gem. § 278 StGB

90 daily fines of €50, 18 months probation
Dr. med. Carola Javid- Kistel Case #0002
Dr. med. Carola Javid- Kistel
General Medicine · Duderstadt, Germany

Accusation: Issued 16 mask exemption certificates with allegedly insufficient diagnosis, issuance of vaccination inability certif…

Convicted to 1 year and 2 months suspended sentence, total professional ban