Germany Kent School

[franconiangirl]

The impressive area in the small picturesque town Waldniel-Hostert in Nordrhine-Westphalia, Germany, was lastly known as "Kent School", which was a British secondary school for children of the British Armed Forces. It was also known and used as "British Military Hospital Hostert". Yet, the history of the area reaches back to the year 1913 in which Franciscan friars - after four years of construction time - founded a home and working place, called "St. Josefsheim", for around 600 male people with disabilities. The Josefsheim was in use until the year 1937. In that year the institution was converted into the "Provinzial Heil- und Pflegeanstalt Waldniel" (Psychiatric Hospital Waldniel). The Nazi-era was the beginning of the darkest chapter in the history of the building complex. In 1941 the so-called "Kinderfachabteilung" Waldniel (Special Children's Ward Waldniel) was established within the so-called "T4-campaign" (the "euthanasia" program of the Nazis which led to mass killings). As a result, more than 500 people were killed, among them around 100 children of the "Kinderfachabteilung". They were, for example, killed due to an overdose of Phenobarbital pills or were because of food deprivation starved to death. Between 1943 and near the end of WW2. the grounds were used as an alternative hospital of the Städtische Krankenhaus Rheydt (general hospital of the city of Rheydt). After the war, the buildings were, among other uses, used as an approved school. In 1951, part of the area was ceded to the British military and used as a military hospital. In 1955, the Federal State of Germany, which had bought the premises, rented it to the British Armed Forces. Since then, the grounds were intensively used by the Brits for the next 37 years. The British troops left in 1992. Since then the buildings have been decaying.

As the grounds are guarded very well and as there is the possibility of a permission visit I decided to use the original names.

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[jtza]

The stained glass

 

[The_Raw]

Very nice. Your photos are great and your English is best than most Brits ?

 

[franconiangirl]

Very nice. Your photos are great and your English is best than most Brits ?

? Oh, thank you, haha. I'll take this as a big compliment.

 

[jane doe]

very nice

 

[obscureserenity]

I agree with Damo, your report is better written than those from a lot of native English speakers!

Impressive set of images there, especially loving the church Good to see an update on this place, I thought they'd began renovations as of last year. Thanks for sharing!

 

[franconiangirl]

I agree with Damo, your report is better written than those from a lot of native English speakers!

Impressive set of images there, especially loving the church Good to see an update on this place, I thought they'd began renovations as of last year. Thanks for sharing!

Aww, you all make my blush ? Yes, especially the church is really unique... <3 It's still abandoned but as far as I heard they at least still plan to renovate and convert it into a hotel or something "in the near future". But who knows...