[The forensic value of "suicide notes"]

In the retrospective investigation of successful suicide attempts the suicide letter has clue character. Therefore we decided to analyse all suicide letters included in the investigation files from the period of 1980 1992 for contents, style and formal aspects. Regarding the contents there are many similarities, furthermore we found a number of stylistic and formal correspondences. Certain criteria mainly drawing upon the contents we could classify the suicide letter into five succint classes, in most cases no conclusions as to the motivation of the suicide could be drawn in spite of typisation and many stereotype characteristic.