Hohenlychen Sanatorium
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The Hohenlychen Sanatorium was a complex of sanatoriums in
Lychen Lychen (), also known as ''Flößerstadt'' (raftsman city), is a town in the Uckermark district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated southeast of Neustrelitz, and east of Fürstenberg/Havel. This is the town where the thumbtack was created. ...
,
Uckermark The Uckermark () is a historical region in northeastern Germany, which straddles the Uckermark (district), Uckermark District of Brandenburg and the Vorpommern-Greifswald District of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Its traditional capital is Prenzlau. ...
district, 108 km north of
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, that was in use from 1902 to 1945. The complex was originally built in 1902 to house tubercular
children A child () is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The term may also refer to an unborn human being. In English-speaking ...
. By the 1930s the Hohenlychen Sanatorium had become one of the main medical facilities of the
Schutzstaffel The ''Schutzstaffel'' (; ; SS; also stylised with SS runes as ''ᛋᛋ'') was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II. It beg ...
, where injured or convalescing SS-men were treated.


Beginnings

The treatment of tuberculosis developed in the second half of the 19th century, which required plenty of sunlight, clean air, a balanced diet, and sufficient exercise, initially led to the establishment of private sanatoriums for wealthy patients. However, many working-class people were also affected by the disease. Following the passing of the first social welfare legislation, the state insurance institutions that were established in the 1890s saw it as their responsibility to build many sanatoriums. Between 1898 and 1904, there was a veritable building boom - in
Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
alone, forty-nine new sanatoriums were built, and existing ones were expanded In 1902, Gotthold Pannwitz, the founder of the Central Committee for the Establishment of Sanatoriums for Lung Diseases, acquired around one hectare of land from the town of Lychen for the People's Sanatorium Association of the
German Red Cross The German Red Cross (GRC) ( ; DRK) is the national Red Cross Society in Germany. During the Nazi era, the German Red Cross was under the control of the Nazi Party and played a role in supporting the regime's policies, including the exclusion ...
. The sanatorium was initially run on a trial basis for three months in the summer. Two barracks were erected to accommodate sixteen girls and sixteen boys. There was also a service barrack. Meals were served in 1902 in the nearby "Schützenhaus" restaurant, and from the summer of 1903 there was already a separate dining hall with a kitchen on the premises. After some initial resistance, the town agreed to the expansion of the site by a further two hectares and the first permanent buildings were erected in 1903 to accommodate sixty children. In October, the girls' home for twenty patients was opened. The architectural designs were created by the architects Paul Hakenholz and Paul Brandes. The grounds of the institution ultimately covered an area of almost sixteen hectares. In 1904, Heinrich Venn donated St. Helen's Chapel. In 1905, another association joined the project, and by 1907 it had erected the "Cecilienheim", which was designed for ninety children and was the first clinic in Prussia to offer surgical and orthopaedic treatment for children. In 1907, a third dormitory building with an integrated bathing facility was added for children with pulmonary tuberculosis. The facility was steadily expanded. By the mid-1920s, forty-seven buildings had been erected at the Hohenlychen site. The sanatorium consisted of fifteen specialist medical departments, the most important of which were the " Viktoria Luise Children's Sanatorium" for children suffering from tuberculosis and the " Empress Auguste Viktoria Sanatorium" for women suffering from tuberculosis. There was also the "Waldfrieden" recreation home for children suffering from tuberculosis, the "Werner Hospital" for surgical operations, the holiday settlement at the
Zenssee Zenssee is a lake in Uckermark, Brandenburg, Germany. At an elevation of, its surface area is 1.1167 km2. It is located in the town of Lychen. See also *Nesselpfuhl *Oberpfuhl Oberpfuhl is a lake in Uckermark, Brandenburg, Germany. Its surf ...
for children suffering from tuberculosis and the "Queen Luise Memorial Country Settlement". A small farm and the state-approved nurses' school "Augusta Helpers' School" belonged to the institution. The sanatorium association also ran its own spa hotel near Lychen railway station from January 1910. During the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, the sanatorium was used as a military hospital. After 1918, the generous support provided before the war failed to resume. The onset of inflation made the financial situation even more difficult. The rural settlement and the further education schools had to close. Between 1924 and 1927, there was a brief upswing, as renovation work was carried out with funds from several ministries and the Red Cross in preparation for the 25th anniversary. During this time, Hohenlychen gained worldwide importance, especially in terms of its success in the orthopaedic and surgical treatment of bone and joint tuberculosis. In 1927, the
League of Nations The League of Nations (LN or LoN; , SdN) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace ...
' hygiene commission met at the sanatorium. Two years later, however, the "Waldfrieden" children's convalescent home also had to close for financial reasons.


During the National Socialist Era

After the Nazi takeover Dr Karl Gebhardt got in touch with his friend,
Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and military leader who was the 4th of the (Protection Squadron; SS), a leading member of the Nazi Party, and one of the most powerful p ...
, with whom he had been at school in
Landshut Landshut (; ) is a town in Bavaria, Germany, on the banks of the Isar, River Isar. Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free state (government), Free State of Bavaria, and the seat of the surrou ...
. He started the process of joining the SS, and was assigned to
Hans von Tschammer und Osten Hans von Tschammer und Osten (25 October 1887 – 25 March 1943) was a German sport official, SA leader and a member of the '' Reichstag'' for the Nazi Party of Nazi Germany. He was married to Sophie Margarethe von Carlowitz. Hans von Tschamme ...
, who put him in contact with
Leonardo Conti Leonardo Conti (; 24 August 1900 – 6 October 1945) was the Reich Health Leader and an SS-''Obergruppenführer'' in Nazi Germany. He was involved in the planning and execution of Action T4 that murdered hundreds of thousands of adults and chi ...
. Conti appointed him to be Medical Superintendent at Hohenlychen, on the basis that the sanatorium should be turned into a centre for sport and rehabilitation medicine, and act as a military hospital for the SS. Despite its excellent results in treating tuberculosis in children, the Jewish medical director who had held the post for nineteen years was dismissed, and Gebhardt was able to realise his plans. The focus was now on sports and occupational injuries as well as reconstructive surgery. Surgical and inpatient departments for the special treatment of adults with joint disorders and lung diseases were established. The establishment also became a Reich sports sanatorium. Funding from German Sport Aid enabled investments to be made to expand and modernize the facility. The clinical department for sports and occupational injuries was extremely popular. The former national coach
Otto Nerz Otto Nerz (21 October 1892 – 18 April 1949) was a German football player and manager and the first head coach of the Germany national team between 1923 and 1936. Biography Early life Nerz was born in Hechingen, Province of Hohenzollern, ...
claimed that a hypothetical "Hohenlychen national team" could compete against almost any soccer team, as many national players and top athletes were treated and recovered in Lychen. Hohenlychen was considered a "fashionable place to stay" not only for patients undergoing treatment, but also for officials of the
NSDAP The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor, the German Workers ...
. Heinrich Himmler and
Rudolf Hess Rudolf Walter Richard Hess (Heß in German; 26 April 1894 – 17 August 1987) was a German politician, Nuremberg trials, convicted war criminal and a leading member of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, Germany. Appointed Deputy Führer ( ...
were frequent guests. The visitors' books list numerous Nazi celebrities who visited the sanatoriums. In addition to
Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
himself, these included the Leaders of the Reich, Reich sports leaders, state secretaries, army staff doctors and international delegations from Italy, Britain, France, Portugal, Chile, Peru and Argentina. The mayor of Tokyo spent his vacation in Hohenlychen, as did the Greek crown prince and princess. In addition to curing and recuperating patients and officials, lectures were also held, especially for medical elites. The establishment now had over 500 beds. A gymnasium could also be used for cinema screenings and company parties. In addition to the bathing facilities at the lakes, a large swimming pool, which also served as a treatment pool for water massages, was built. The glass roof could be opened on warm sunny days. In addition to further sports grounds, a further pharmacy was built and a weather station, which was to be used for research into the relationship between the weather and the course of illnesses was installed. The town of Lychen benefited from the sanatoriums, especially through tourism. Between 1933 and 1942, over 25,000 patients were treated. Many residents were given work in the sanatoriums. A second railway station was built to provide better infrastructure and a faster connection to Berlin. Hitler's second personal physician
Ludwig Stumpfegger Ludwig Stumpfegger (11 July 1910 – 2 May 1945) was a German doctor who served in the SS of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was Adolf Hitler's personal surgeon from 1944 to 1945, and was present in the ''Führerbunker'' in Berlin in late ...
worked under Karl Gebhardt, as did
Fritz Fischer Fritz Fischer may refer to: * Fritz Fischer (historian) (1908–1999), German historian * Fritz Fischer (medical doctor) (1912–2003), Waffen-SS doctor * Fritz Fischer (biathlete) Friedrich "Fritz" Fischer (born 22 September 1956) is a former ...
,
Herta Oberheuser Herta Oberheuser (15 May 1911 – 24 January 1978) was a German Nazi physician and convicted war criminal who performed medical atrocities on prisoners at the Ravensbrück women's concentration camp. For her role in the Holocaust, she was sent ...
and Kurt Heißmeyer. On the outbreak of war, the sanatorium became a military hospital for the SS. In 1942 Karl Gebhardt’s reputation suffered a blow. Reinhardt Heydrich, Himmler’s right-hand man had suffered an assassination attempt on the 27th of May. Gebhardt did not value sulphonamide (an antibiotic) and Heydrich was only given a low dose, which was not sufficient to prevent his death.
Ernst-Robert Grawitz Ernst-Robert Grawitz (8 June 1899 – 24 April 1945) was a German physician and an SS functionary (''Reichsarzt'', "Arzt" meaning "physician") during the Nazi era. Grawitz funded Nazi programs involving experimentation on inmates in Nazi concen ...
, head of the German Red Cross had previously suggested to Gebhardt that he should carry out experiments on concentration camp inmates, but he had been reluctant to do so. Now he was motivated by the need to justify his actions. After gaining Himmler’s agreement, the experiments started at Ravensbrück Women’s Concentration Camp nearby. Gebhardt, first reported on the clinical trials on August 29, 1942. The test groups consisted of thirty-six women who had bacteria, some with wood and glass particles, inserted into their thighs. Three of the test subjects died and it was concluded that the sulphonamides were not effective in preventing wound infections. Parallel to the sulphonamide experiments, Ludwig Stumpfegger carried out experiments on the transplantation of bones, nerves, and muscles in Hohenlychen.Morgenbrod and Merkenich op.cit., p. 168 When Himmler realized that the War was ending, he believed that he could present himself positively to the Allies. He negotiated with the head of the
Swedish Red Cross The Swedish Red Cross ( Swedish: ''Svenska Röda Korset'') is a Swedish humanitarian organisation and a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Founded in 1865, its purpose is to prevent and alleviate human suffering wher ...
,
Folke Bernadotte Folke Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg (2 January 1895 – 17 September 1948) was a Swedish nobleman and diplomat. In World War II, he negotiated the release of about 450 Danish Jews and 30,550 non-Jewish prisoners of many nations from the Nazi ...
, a member of the Swedish royal family and met with him in Hohenlychen. During these talks, the
White Buses White Buses was a Swedish humanitarian operation with the objective of freeing Scandinavians in German concentration camps in Nazi Germany during the final stages of World War II. Although the White Buses operation was envisioned to rescue Sc ...
rescue mission was agreed. However, Himmler's intended surrender did not take place. At the end of the war, the military hospital was completely evacuated. During this time, Heinrich Himmler's field command post, codenamed "Steiermark", was also located in Hohenlychen. The command post was located in a train which stood on the Britz-Fürstenberg line. As the buildings were marked with red crosses on the roof, there were initially no bombing raids during the war. However, thirty-two soldiers died in an air raid on April 27, 1945, and two days later the largely intact sanatorium was handed over to Soviet units without a fight. The Red Army, under their commander Nazarov, looted and destroyed all the facilities. Some of the operating and X-ray equipment was destroyed or taken away. St. Helen's Chapel was also a victim of this destruction. The altar and organ were taken away and the chapel was used as a fuel depot.


After the Second World War

Karl Gebhardt, who had fled to Flensburg in the last days of the war was arrested shortly afterwards. At the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial in 1948 he was charged with crimes against humanity and sentenced to death. His assistant doctors Fritz Fischer and Herta Oberheuser were sentenced to life imprisonment and twenty years' imprisonment respectively. Following their escape from the Führerbunker a few hours after Hitler's suicide Ludwig Stumpfegger and Martin Bormann committed suicide at the Lehrter station in Berlin using cyanide capsules. The Soviet armed forces in Germany used the sanatoriums as a military hospital and maternity unit. The sanatorium no longer reached its former size and was partly converted into accommodation for soldiers. On August 31, 1993, the last Soviet detachment left. During the GDR era, Deutsche Post ran a vacation camp here for the children of its employees.


After 2005

In 2009, Freiberg civil engineer Michael Neumann bought a part of the complex - nine buildings on twelve hectares - from the state of Brandenburg. Neumann then developed a concept for a park residence in Lychen. In his spirit - he died in 2019 - his daughter Anne Neumann and relatives have continued to pursue these plans. The development consists of fully accessible rental apartments, vacation apartments and a bistro. Many of the listed buildings have already been renovated.


In literature

In the
Prix Goncourt The Prix Goncourt ( , "The Goncourt Prize") is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year". The prize carries a symbolic reward of only 10 euros, but resul ...
winning novel,
Les Bienveillantes ''The Kindly Ones'' () is a 2006 historical fiction novel written in French by American-born author Jonathan Littell. The book is narrated by its fictional protagonist Maximilien Aue, a former Schutzstaffel, SS officer of French and German ancest ...
, the Hohenlychen Sanatorium was the location of the protagonist Maximilian Aue's hospitalisation after having been shot in the head at
Stalingrad Volgograd,. geographical renaming, formerly Tsaritsyn. (1589–1925) and Stalingrad. (1925–1961), is the largest city and the administrative centre of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. The city lies on the western bank of the Volga, covering an area o ...
.


References


Sources

Hans Waltrich. ''Aufstieg und Niedergang der Heilanstalten Hohenlychen (1902 bis 1945).'' Strelitzia, Blankensee Press, 2001.


External links


Hohenlychen Sanatorium and its hidden history of human experiments
{{coord, 53.2014, N, 13.3261, E, source:wikidata, display=title Hospital buildings completed in 1902 Tuberculosis sanatoria in Germany Medical and health organisations based in Brandenburg Uckermark (district)