[Daniel Paul Schreber, the illness of the Senate president]

In a meta-diagnostic evaluation of Daniel Paul Schreber's (1840-1911) case history the conclusion is that he suffered from an anxiety-blissfulness psychosis. This results from a comparison of Schreber's autobiographical remarks as published in his "Memoirs" on the one hand with his psychiatrist's remarks in his clinical files on the other. The main characteristics of his illness were extensive anxieties and ecstatic elation. Since Schreber's book in recent years has been published in English, French and Italian translations and a number of biographical details have surfaced, a new international discussion has developed. The Schreber case partly is being seen as prototype of schizophrenia, partly as the typical result of the drill of a father education. Both views can be refuted out of the available material. This paper concentrates exclusively on the clinical diagnostic question.