Klinik Hohe Warte

Klinik Hohe Warte (KHW) is a public acute-care hospital and specialist clinic in Bayreuth, Upper Franconia, Germany. It is one of the two main sites of Klinikum Bayreuth GmbH, alongside the main Klinikum campus, and is particularly known for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. Under the Bavarian hospital plan, KHW operates in cooperation with Klinikum Bayreuth as a hospital of the third supply level (Versorgungsstufe III). The facility has a total of 293 beds, of which 73 are dedicated to the spinal cord injury clinic. The hospital was founded in 1938, when the cornerstone was laid by the National Socialist People's Welfare organization (NSV). It opened in 1942 as the Winifred-Wagner-Krankenhaus, intended as a children's and women's clinic, but was quickly repurposed as a military hospital by the Luftwaffe. After World War II, it was taken over by the US Army as the 120th Station Hospital, then transferred to the Free State of Bavaria in 1950 as a hospital for war disabled persons. From 1957, it began treating spinal cord injury patients, a specialization that grew over the following decades. In 1993 it was renamed Krankenhaus Hohe Warte Bayreuth, and in 1998 a clinic for traumatic brain injury was opened, followed by a stroke unit in 1999. In 2004, KHW merged with Klinikum Bayreuth to form Klinikum Bayreuth GmbH, owned by the Krankenhauszweckverband Bayreuth, a public-law corporation whose members are the City of Bayreuth and the Bayreuth district. Today, Klinik Hohe Warte comprises 12 clinics and institutes, including neurology with a stroke unit, orthopedics, neurosurgery, urology, the spinal cord injury clinic, the traumatic brain injury clinic, anesthesiology and intensive care, radiology, ENT, oral and maxillofacial surgery, ophthalmology, and a day clinic for brain-injured patients. As part of Klinikum Bayreuth GmbH, it contributes to cross-disciplinary care, research, and teaching at the university level, including the Medical Campus Oberfranken in Bayreuth, where around 100 new physicians complete their medical studies each year. The hospital serves the entire Upper Franconia region and is a key provider of specialized rehabilitation and acute care.

Klinik Hohe Warte (KHW) was established in Bayreuth, Upper Franconia, with its cornerstone laid on 14 May 1938 by the National Socialist People's Welfare organization (NSV). Construction took about four years, and the hospital opened on 1 June 1942 as the Winifred-Wagner-Krankenhaus, intended as a children's and women's clinic. However, its original purpose was short-lived: in July 1942 the Luftwaffe established a military hospital (Lazarett) in the facility. From August 1943, newborn children of forced laborers were housed in the so-called "Ausländerkinderpflegestätte" within the Winifred-Wagner-Heim, whose exact location remains unclear. The hospital's chief physician was classified as a major offender in a denazification proceeding and sentenced to five years in a labor camp. On 9 May 1945, one day after the unconditional surrender of the Wehrmacht, the US Army took over the hospital as the 120th Station Hospital. At the end of 1949 it was opened for German war disabled persons, and in 1950 it was transferred to the Free State of Bavaria as a hospital for the disabled (Versehrtenkrankenhaus). From 1950 to 1954, Paul Rostock served as chief physician; the surgeon had been accused in the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial, as a former associate of Karl Brandt, of involvement in human experiments at the Natzweiler-Struthof, Sachsenhausen, and Dachau concentration camps, but was acquitted in 1947 for lack of evidence. From 1950 to 1957, Martin Sommer, known as the "Hangman of Buchenwald," was a patient at the disabled persons' hospital. After brief considerations of closing the hospital, in 1957 it began treating spinal cord injury patients. A possible expansion into a university hospital in the 1960s was quickly shelved. Instead, the center for spinal cord injuries was further developed and additional specialist departments were established. Since 1993 the hospital has borne the name "Krankenhaus Hohe Warte Bayreuth." In 1998 the clinic for traumatic brain injury was opened, followed in 1999 by the establishment of a stroke unit. In 2000, a new functional building including a 16-bed intensive care unit was completed. The cost of the new building, with 35,000 cubic meters of enclosed space and 3,500 square meters of usable area, amounted to 65 million Deutsche Mark. Three years later, the cornerstone was laid for an extension of the main building. In 2004, the merger of KHW with Klinikum Bayreuth was decided, forming Klinikum Bayreuth GmbH. The owner is now the Krankenhauszweckverband Bayreuth, a public-law corporation whose members are the City of Bayreuth and the Bayreuth district. The chairman of the supervisory board is the district administrator of Bayreuth district, Florian Wiedemann. Today, the hospital has 12 clinics and institutes: Neurological Clinic with Stroke Unit, Orthopedic Clinic, Neurosurgical Clinic, Urological Clinic, Clinic for Spinal Cord Injuries, Clinic for Traumatic Brain Injuries, Institute for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Institute for Radiology, ENT (10 contracted beds), Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (1 contracted bed), Eye Clinic (4 contracted beds), and a Day Clinic for brain-injured patients. As part of Klinikum Bayreuth GmbH, it is integrated into a maximum-care hospital that combines diagnostics, therapy, research, and teaching at university level, including the Medical Campus Oberfranken in Bayreuth, where around 100 new physicians complete their medical studies each year.

• Cornerstone laid by the National Socialist People's Welfare organization (NSV).

• Hospital opened as Winifred-Wagner-Krankenhaus, intended as a children's and women's clinic.

• Luftwaffe established a military hospital (Lazarett) in the clinic.

• Newborn children of forced laborers housed in the "Ausländerkinderpflegestätte" within the Winifred-Wagner-Heim.

• US Army took over the hospital as the 120th Station Hospital.

• Hospital opened for German war disabled persons.

• Transferred to the Free State of Bavaria as a hospital for the disabled (Versehrtenkrankenhaus).

• Began treating spinal cord injury patients.

• Renamed Krankenhaus Hohe Warte Bayreuth.

• Clinic for traumatic brain injury opened.

• Stroke unit established.

• New functional building with 16-bed intensive care unit completed at a cost of 65 million DM.

• Cornerstone laid for extension of the main building.

• Merger of KHW with Klinikum Bayreuth to form Klinikum Bayreuth GmbH.

Public specialist hospital for spinal cord and traumatic brain injury care within a maximum-care hospital group, serving Upper Franconia.

• Neurological Clinic with Stroke Unit

• Orthopedic Clinic

• Neurosurgical Clinic

• Urological Clinic

• Clinic for Spinal Cord Injuries (73 beds)

• Clinic for Traumatic Brain Injuries

• Institute for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine

• Institute for Radiology

• ENT (10 contracted beds)

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (1 contracted bed)

• Eye Clinic (4 contracted beds)

• Day Clinic for brain-injured patients

1. 1Klinikum Bayreuth official websiteklinikum-bayreuth.de
2. 2Klinik Hohe Warte - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Klinik Hohe Warte - Wikidatawikidata.org