Gerhardus Michael Lang: Noted German Homeopath, Author, and Renowned Lecturer Who Became a Devoted Disciple of the Sehgal Homeopathy Method, Has Crossed the Threshold

Courtesy: Eva Lang Gerhardus Michael Lang, a much-loved German homeopath, author, and lively, inspiring lecturer who was responsible for bringing the works and thought of M.L. Sehgal to the attention of Central European homeopaths, died in Bad Boll, where he lived and practiced for nearly all his life. He was 95. Dr Lang, born on May 7, 1931 in Dornach, Switzerland, received his medical degree in 1961 and was, for much of his life, a fervent devotee of the Sehgal homeopathy approach (Rediscovery of Homeopathy [ROH]) giving many lively, well-attended lectures and seminars on the subject. Lang also specialized in obstetrics. Together with Dr med. Ekkehard von Seckendorff, he coauthored Homoopathie, Einfuhrung in Theorie und Praxis der Sehgal-Methode (2007). 1 Lang began medical studies in Freiburg im Breisgau (Baden-Württemberg, Germany), continued those studies in Paris, and received his license to practice medicine in Germany, in 1961. In that same year, he established his homeopathy practice in Bad Boll (Baden-Württemberg, Germany). It was in this town, where he remained for the rest of his life, that he and the late Jurgen Becker founded, in 1983, a dynamic and highly instructive week of seminars called “Homeopathy Week – Bad Boll.” 2 Early in his medical career, he practiced according to anthroposophic principles but repeatedly encountered limitations. During an anthroposophical medical conference, colleagues suggested that he first learn homeopathy in order to effectively practice anthroposophic medicine. As a result, in the 1970s, he attended repertorization courses led by Dr Otto Eichelberger (1918–2005) of Munich and later discovered the writings of Dr Emil Schlegel (1852–1934), both noted German homeopathic physicians. He also completed mandatory continuing education courses in order to use the title “Homeopathic Physician.” Much of his knowledge came from self-study and “learning by doing” during the Boller Homeopathy Week, which was a forum where everyone learned from one another. His primary sources of inspiration during the last two decades of the 20 th century were Jürgen Becker and Rajan Sankaran. In the late 1990s, he attended a lecture on the Sehgal Method at a homeopathy congress presented by Dr Claus Schamell. Inspired by it, he immediately obtained Dr M.L. Sehgal's English publications and studied them during an extended working vacation. He tried the method with excellent therapeutic results and used it for the remainder of his career. Interestingly enough, Kent had similar thoughts: “The center of man is will and understanding. Man's constitution consists of his will and thoughts, supported by his memory. This, in other words, is his mind. The mind is the most sensitive part of a human being. In cases of disease or proving, the mind is the first to react.” Even the much-respected American doctor, E. E. Case, felt that “...other things being equal, give preference to a mental symptom rather than to a bodily one.” Dr Case went on to say, “If there is no peculiar mental symptom, use the most peculiar bodily one.” Lang began studying the thought of Mahan Lal Sehgal in the late 1990s, and along with his daughter Eva, established the Eva Lang Publishing Company < www.evalangverlag.de > in 1998. It became a vehicle for printed works concerning the “Sehgal Method.” After the founder's death on May 29, 2002, the work was continued by his sons, Drs Sanjay Sehgal (the elder, b. Jan. 17, 1957) and Yogesh Sehgal (b. July 15, 1963), through seminars and publications. The work of the publishing house continued to expand through the organization of seminars in German-speaking countries as well as the publication of seminar transcripts in the German language. Other works, such as an index to the basic work and a repertory of the Sehgal rubrics, have since been published. Additionally, Eva Lang Verlag has expanded its offerings to include audio CDs of seminar excerpts. Over the years, works by Lang and von Seckendorff have been published as well as those by Dr nat. med. Detlef Rathmer and Elisabeth Dünkel (Schulz). The Sehgal method or “revolutionized homeopathy” is a method of finding similarity using only the patient's current state of mind (attitude and reflections), and with this, homeopathy was given an innovative impulse. For many years, Lang and his daughter Eva organized and led seminars with Sanjay and Yogesh to introduce newcomers to this method. Lang's lectures and workshops drew large audiences right up to the very end. M.L. Sehgal made a chance discovery while studying chronic malaria cases. He realized that the totality of the case was being expressed in the patient's current state of mind. The patient reveals this unconsciously and unintentionally while reporting his complaints – in the way the patient describes his problems, in his selection of words and phrases, in his tone of voice and gestures, etc. In all these ways, his state of mind is expressed, and it is precisely these observations that are essential for choosing the correct remedy. The uniqueness of M.L.'s method lies in the translation of the patient's unconscious expressions into the language of the repertory. It is this exacting “art of translation” that needs to be learned in order to practice the method successfully. With this method of finding similarity, M.L. succeeded in finding the key to Hahnemann's hint, as formulated in Paragraphs 211–213 of the Organon : “...that... the mind/state of the sick person is often the most decisive factor....” Gerhardus Lang was born in the gardener's house at the Goetheanum in Dornach. 3 In 1937, the family was expelled from Switzerland but they eventually found a new home in Worpswede (Osterholz, Germany). The years spent there at the Bauernhof, a landed estate that focused on biodynamic agriculture and its development according to Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925) were informative, as his father worked there as a manager. Along with the intellectual impulses of this early environment—namely anthroposophy—it played a significant role in shaping his intellect. This is evidenced by his interest in the interconnections among humanity, nature, and society which remained with him throughout his long and fruitful life. After completing his medical studies in Freiburg im Breisgau, he established a general practice in Bad Boll in 1961. At the age of 30, he was the youngest practicing physician in private practice in Baden-Württemberg at the time. For many years, he also worked as an obstetrician, helping numerous souls to enter the world. He started a family with his wife Annette (née Lichtenford), whom he married in 1956; they had two children, Eva and Christoph. In the late 1990s, he devoted himself to an intensive study of the Sehgal Method, an approach that informed his medical thinking until he retired from active practice at the age of 87. This method places the patient's state of mind and emotions, in the context of their illness, at the very center and embodies a holistic view of the human being. Lang narrowed the therapeutic focus to core questions: “What does the patient say and do?” “How and why do they say and do it?” These important questions relate exclusively to the patient's current, persistent, and predominant suffering. In this approach, he rediscovered much of what had always been important to him—understanding the whole person rather than merely treating isolated symptoms. Those close to Gerhardus knew and appreciated that his interests extended beyond the medical realm. Throughout his life, he was driven by an extraordinary curiosity: he asked questions, sought out connections, and strove to understand the world. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, in particular, was a lifelong companion in his pursuits. He also engaged deeply with fairy tales, Greek legends, mythology, and the great narratives of human history. He interpreted their imagery and symbols with enthusiasm, seeking within them insights into the essence of the human being. Many of his lectures and conversations were enriched by his uncanny ability to weave together medicine, the natural sciences, literature, and intellectual history. He was a passionate lecturer who presented many thought-provoking ideas and materials. His lectures were very lively and, for many, deeply inspiring, as he drew upon a vast wealth of experience—he conducted his seminars in a way that all could easily comprehend. Lang had a good sense of humor that was ever present, and lectures he gave locally for the lay public were, without fail, very well-attended: people still speak of and remember him to this day. Dr med. Gerhardus Michael Lang, who had been retired since 2018, passed away at his home in Bad Boll on May 31, 2026 at the age of 95. His daughter Eva accompanied him on his final journey. 4 Part of his legacy is the healing and therapy center -Dr Gerhardus-Michael-Lang-Haus. “He belonged to that generation of physicians who practiced classical homeopathy with conviction and worked tirelessly for its preservation and further development. His work was characterized by scientific curiosity, practical experience, and a firm commitment to supporting people on their individual paths to health. “Many colleagues remember his openness, his humility, and his willingness to share his knowledge. He viewed homeopathy not merely as a method, but as a medical ethos—grounded in precise observation, careful case-taking, and deep respect for each individual's uniqueness… With his passing, the homeopathic community loses a truly influential figure. His life's work lives on—in the patients he treated, in the colleagues he inspired, and in the conviction that medicine should always serve the whole person.”—Dr nat. med. Elisabeth Duenkle-Schulz “In him, his family, friends, colleagues, students, and patients have lost an extraordinary individual whose influence extended far beyond his hometown. As a physician, obstetrician, teacher, author, and thinker, he guided and inspired countless people over the course of decades... A great many cards of condolence contained reflections on his character, his lectures, his letters to the editor, and his many successful treatments.”—Eva Lang Informed Consent Eva Lang, daughter of the late Gerhardus Michael Lang, has confirmed that the publisher has authorization to publish the photograph, and that the deceased's next of kin/family has no objection to its publication. Publication History Article published online: 03 August 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Limited A-13A, Graphix Tower 1, 6th floor, Sector 62, Noida 201309, Uttar Pradesh, India