In its 43rd issue in October 1969, the magazine launched a new column initially titled "Die Sprechstunde mit Dr. Jochen Sommer" (The Consultation Hour with Dr. Jochen Sommer). Dr. Jochen Sommer was a fictional name, a composite character created to give a trustworthy, professional face to the magazine's advice column. The real person behind the persona was Dr. Martin Goldstein, a psychologist who answered the first letters. For decades, this single column became the primary source of information for millions of teenagers seeking guidance on love, relationships, and their changing bodies.
Sidebar commentary from professional psychologists and physicians confirming that the participant’s physical milestones and emotional concerns are mathematically and biologically standard for their age group. Why the Feature Left an Enduring Legacy Lust auf einen Body-Check? - Bravo
Most people remembered Dr. Sommer as a rite of passage—a fold-out poster in a teen magazine where awkward adolescents stood in their underwear, terrified, while a kindly doctor pointed out that their knees were normal. It was a staple of German youth, a strange, vulnerable strip of paper that taught you that bodies came in all shapes and sizes.
So the next time you see that bizarre string of words, don’t scroll past. Smile. Because deep down, some part of you is still that 11-year-old, holding a folded Bravo, whispering: Bodycheck. That’s me. bravo dr sommer bodycheck thats me 11
So here’s to Dr. Sommer (real name: Martin Goldstein, who passed away in 2018). Here’s to the Bodycheck, with its clinical lines and terrifyingly frank labels. And here’s to everyone who ever studied that chart in secret, heart pounding, wondering: Am I normal?
You can find digital records of these features on the Bravo-Archiv , which hosts back issues from 1956 to the present.
In the early 2010s, facing sharp declines in print circulation and mounting pressure from digital safety advocates, BRAVO enacted a complete structural rebranding of the column. The feature abandoned the title "That’s Me!" and emerged as In its 43rd issue in October 1969, the
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The room around him began to stretch and warp. The brick walls of the apartment receded into a blinding, sterile white infinity. The smell of cigarette smoke vanished, replaced by the smell of fresh ink.
Do you remember your Bodycheck number? Share your story in the comments (or lie, just like we all did in 1996). Martin Goldstein, a psychologist who answered the first
meant nothing yet. “Stage 4” meant getting there. “Stage 5” meant fully developed. But the magic number was 11 ? Wait—that doesn’t fit the 1-5 scale. Ah, here’s the twist: The actual Bravo Bodycheck used a more detailed system in some issues, going up to stage 11 for overall pubescent maturity (including body hair, voice change, and genital development).
The foundation of BRAVO's sex education legacy was laid in October 1969 when psychotherapist Dr. Martin Goldstein first published the (Consultation with Dr. Sommer). At a time when formal sex education in schools was limited and parental discussions were often stifled by conservative norms, Dr. Sommer stepped into the void. The column normalized complex topics: menstruation, masturbation, penis size, virginity, and sexual orientation. The guidance was consistently empathetic, non-judgmental, and clinical yet accessible.
Today, these issues (like the mentioned issue ) are sought after by collectors and digital archivists. While many historical issues from 1956 to 1994 have been made available for free at the Bravo Archive , more modern issues from the "Bodycheck" era remain harder to find legally online due to tightening privacy and copyright laws.