A positioning apparatus for a medical catheter to be positioned in a body opening or cavity of an individual, comprising - an elongated tubular or hose-shaped catheter accommodation member, by one end of which the catheter to be positioned can be accommodated, - an elongated catheter release member accommodated within or outside of the catheter accommodation member and displaceable in the longitudinal direction thereof, - and a movement mechanism provided between the catheter accommodation member and the catheter release member having a movement conversion device (16, 17, 18, 19, 20), by which the catheter accommodation member with the catheter accommodated by it and the catheter release member are displaceable relative to each other in an apparatus longitudinal direction with release of the catheter from the catheter accommodation member, - wherein the movement conversion device (16, 17, 18, 19, 20) comprises an actuating member (16, 17), by which a transversal movement exerted transverse to the said apparatus longitudinal direction or a pivoting movement can be converted into a longitudinal movement extending in the said apparatus longitudinal direction, and two pressing parts (16, 17), which are connected to each other by a connecting part and can be elastically compressed towards it, - wherein the connecting part is fixedly connected to the catheter accommodation member or the catheter release member, - and wherein the catheter release member or the catheter accommodation member is coupled to the pressing parts (16, 17) by means of hinge members (18, 19, 20), which are composed of two support arms (19, 20) and a connecting part connecting them, around which the support arms (19, 20) can be elastically compressed. - an elongated tubular or hose-shaped catheter accommodation member, by one end of which the catheter to be positioned can be accommodated, - an elongated catheter release member accommodated within or outside of the catheter accommodation member and displaceable in the longitudinal direction thereof, - and a movement mechanism provided between the catheter accommodation member and the catheter release member having a movement conversion device (16, 17, 18, 19, 20), by which the catheter accommodation member with the catheter accommodated by it and the catheter release member are displaceable relative to each other in an apparatus longitudinal direction with release of the catheter from the catheter accommodation member, - wherein the movement conversion device (16, 17, 18, 19, 20) comprises an actuating member (16, 17), by which a transversal movement exerted transverse to the said apparatus longitudinal direction or a pivoting movement can be converted into a longitudinal movement extending in the said apparatus longitudinal direction, and two pressing parts (16, 17), which are connected to each other by a connecting part and can be elastically compressed towards it, - wherein the connecting part is fixedly connected to the catheter accommodation member or the catheter release member, - and wherein the catheter release member or the catheter accommodation member is coupled to the pressing parts (16, 17) by means of hinge members (18, 19, 20), which are composed of two support arms (19, 20) and a connecting part connecting them, around which the support arms (19, 20) can be elastically compressed.