Barbara Hans analyzes the personalization of politicians and develops a multidisciplinary theory of the media staging of privacy. "You know me," said Angela Merkel during the 2013 election campaign - the phrase seems simple, yet it is laden with implications. Why do politicians present themselves as private individuals, and what are the characteristics of this presentation? Politics requires the trust of citizens. The media staging of privacy conveys indicators of the trustworthiness of political actors. Authenticity is both a prerequisite and a condition for the success of this portrayal of un-stagedness.