At the time, the Waldhaus was called the ‘Heimstätte für männliche Brustkranke’ (Homestead for men with chest illnesses). Planning started in 1899 and construction began two years later.
The first of 150 patients with TB arrived in summer 1905. It wasn’t until 1927 that it became officially known as Waldhaus Buch, and it continued as a sanatorium for TB patients until the war, before becoming a military hospital for the Luftwaffe
On March 28 and 30, 1940 saw the first physically and mentally ill patients from Buch were transported to the “euthanasia centers” of Bernburg und Brandenburg.
One of the Buch clinics had to close seven months later due to a lack of patients.
Patients from other clinics around the country were ferried through Buch to be murdered too.
Another wave of killings under the “Aktion Brandt” scheme from 1943 just cleared patients to make way for wounded soldiers.
My local contact had warned me that it was rated 9/10 on the difficulty-o-meter for gaining access. He was a bit pissed off when I sent him a smiley face.
Ok so I did bruise my knee landing awkwardly climbing the bastard Harras fencing
Ok so I did rip a sweatshirt, in squeezing through the Galvanised sheeted window, that miraculously bent back in my hands.
But like fuck off, I‘ve travelled so far.
I'm gonna take a little time, a little time to look around me.
I just loved the coldness of the place (a welcome change from the very warm day outdoors) as I wandered these forlorn decayed corridors, popping in and out of some of the individual cells/rooms.
Allegedly just under 700 of these murdered patients’ brains were delivered to the Buch-based Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Brain Research, where Julius Hallervorden carried out his work.
A true professional, Hallervorden witnessed children being exterminated at the Brandenburg killing center to become his unwitting donors.
Stunning art work throughout
Making my way up to the attic space along fantastic corridors, steeped in the misery of others
Stopped to admire the views
Not much to see in the attic really, but coming down a different route came across more stunning art work and a glorious atrium,
Just time to look into a few more rooms.
No I don’t understand why in deepest darkest former East Germany, our friends have perfect command of the English language!
Google translate tells me this means ‘don’t lean down”
A fantastic couple of hours here and probably one of the highlights of my recent road trip.
The first of 150 patients with TB arrived in summer 1905. It wasn’t until 1927 that it became officially known as Waldhaus Buch, and it continued as a sanatorium for TB patients until the war, before becoming a military hospital for the Luftwaffe
On March 28 and 30, 1940 saw the first physically and mentally ill patients from Buch were transported to the “euthanasia centers” of Bernburg und Brandenburg.
One of the Buch clinics had to close seven months later due to a lack of patients.
Patients from other clinics around the country were ferried through Buch to be murdered too.
Another wave of killings under the “Aktion Brandt” scheme from 1943 just cleared patients to make way for wounded soldiers.
My local contact had warned me that it was rated 9/10 on the difficulty-o-meter for gaining access. He was a bit pissed off when I sent him a smiley face.
Ok so I did bruise my knee landing awkwardly climbing the bastard Harras fencing
Ok so I did rip a sweatshirt, in squeezing through the Galvanised sheeted window, that miraculously bent back in my hands.
But like fuck off, I‘ve travelled so far.
I'm gonna take a little time, a little time to look around me.
I just loved the coldness of the place (a welcome change from the very warm day outdoors) as I wandered these forlorn decayed corridors, popping in and out of some of the individual cells/rooms.
Allegedly just under 700 of these murdered patients’ brains were delivered to the Buch-based Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Brain Research, where Julius Hallervorden carried out his work.
A true professional, Hallervorden witnessed children being exterminated at the Brandenburg killing center to become his unwitting donors.
Stunning art work throughout
Making my way up to the attic space along fantastic corridors, steeped in the misery of others
Stopped to admire the views
Not much to see in the attic really, but coming down a different route came across more stunning art work and a glorious atrium,
Just time to look into a few more rooms.
No I don’t understand why in deepest darkest former East Germany, our friends have perfect command of the English language!
Google translate tells me this means ‘don’t lean down”
A fantastic couple of hours here and probably one of the highlights of my recent road trip.
