There are two rare psychopathological phenomena: The fear to be buried alive (taphophobia) and the delusion to rise again from the grave (delusion of resurrection). These cases are given as illustration. Taphophobia is counted among the neuroses, the delusion of resurrection is a cardinal symptom of the psychosis "phantastic paraphrenia" Both states are rooted in unconscious fears and and wishes in man, especially in superstition. The theoretical concept behind these psychopathological phenomena is twofold--using an eclectic open system of interpretation--taphophobia is seen in the light of psychoanalysis, delusion of resurrection is explained in terms of the psychiatric thinking of K. Leonhard.