Rotkreuzklinik Lindenberg

Rotkreuzklinik Lindenberg was a non-profit hospital of basic and standard care (Grund- und Regelversorgung) in Lindenberg im Allgäu, in the Bavarian district of Lindau, Germany. It was operated by the Schwesternschaft München vom Bayerischen Roten Kreuz e.V., the Munich nursing sisterhood of the Bavarian Red Cross, and served as a local provider of inpatient care for the Westallgäu region. Until 2010 it was known as the Dr.-Otto-Geßler-Kreiskrankenhaus Lindenberg, named after the local politician and honorary president of the German Red Cross, Otto Geßler, who initiated planning for the district hospital in 1958. The hospital opened on 21 February 1963 with 200 beds, a nurses' home and a nursing school. It was expanded in 1977/1978 to 240 beds, and its internal nursing school became a state-recognised vocational school for nursing in 1979, cooperating with the Lindau district hospital. A physical therapy department and cafeteria followed in 1995, and a full general renovation took place between 2004 and 2008. In 2010 the hospital was renamed Rotkreuzklinik Lindenberg, and the square in front of it was dedicated as Dr.-Otto-Geßler-Platz. Clinically, the Rotkreuzklinik covered internal medicine, accident and reconstructive surgery, oncology, geriatrics, general and visceral surgery, anaesthesia, radiology, palliative medicine, paediatrics, ENT and urology. It hosted two specialised centres: the Gelenk- und Wirbelsäulenzentrum (Joint and Spine Centre), founded in March 2018, and the Onkologisches Zentrum (Oncology Centre), founded in May 2018, the latter with an attached psycho-oncology service and a palliative care ward. The hospital's later years were marked by crisis. A fire on 14 February 2017 killed one person and seriously injured seven others. In January 2019 the sisterhood announced plans to replace the building with a new structure. In summer 2023, facing financial difficulties, the clinic filed for Schutzschirmverfahren (protective shield insolvency proceedings). Politicians then called for a cross-state central new build together with the Oberschwabenklinik in Wangen im Allgäu and possibly the Asklepios Klinik in Lindau. At the end of June 2024 the Schwesternschaft announced the hospital would close on 31 July 2024; the last inpatients were transferred on 10 July 2024. A report commissioned by the Free State of Bavaria after the closure recommended merging the Lindenberg, Lindau and Wangen clinics into a single central hospital near Hergatz as the only economically viable option for the Westallgäu, while envisaging a standby practice or a Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum (medical care centre) in Lindenberg.

The origins of the Rotkreuzklinik Lindenberg lie in the first hospital opened in Sedanstraße in Lindenberg in 1889. From 1913, Munich Red Cross sisters served there as community nurses. In 1958, at the initiative of the local politician and honorary president of the German Red Cross, Otto Geßler, planning began for a district hospital. On 21 February 1963 the Dr.-Otto-Geßler-Kreiskrankenhaus Lindenberg opened with 200 beds, together with a nurses' home and school, in the north of the town. In 1977/1978 the clinic was extended with an additional wing and the number of beds rose to 240. In 1979 the internal nursing school was converted into a vocational school for nursing, with training cooperation with the Lindau district hospital. In 1995 a physical therapy department and a cafeteria opened. Between 2004 and 2008 the building underwent a full general renovation. In 2010 the hospital was renamed Rotkreuzklinik Lindenberg, and in return the Dr.-Otto-Geßler-Platz in front of the clinic was inaugurated. On 14 February 2017 a fire at the hospital killed one person and seriously injured seven others. In January 2019 the Schwesternschaft announced its intention to replace the building with a new structure. In summer 2023 the clinic applied for Schutzschirmverfahren (protective shield insolvency proceedings) because of its financial difficulties. As a consequence, politicians called for a central cross-state new build together with the Oberschwabenklinik in Wangen im Allgäu, which was also threatened with closure, and possibly the Asklepios Klinik in Lindau, in order to secure medical care for the region. At the end of June 2024 the Schwesternschaft vom Bayerischen Roten Kreuz announced that the hospital would be closed on 31 July 2024. The last inpatients were transferred on 10 July 2024. A report commissioned by the Free State of Bavaria and published after the closure identified the merger of the three clinics in Lindenberg, Lindau and Wangen into a central hospital in the Hergatz area as the only economic option for the Westallgäu region. The report also envisaged a standby practice or a Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum in Lindenberg.

• 2024

  Closure announced at end of June; hospital closes on 31 July; last inpatients transferred on 10 July.

• 2023

  In summer the clinic applies for Schutzschirmverfahren due to financial difficulties.

• 2019

  In January the Schwesternschaft announces plans to replace the building with a new structure.

• 2018

  Joint and Spine Centre founded in March; Oncology Centre founded in May.

• 2017

  Fire on 14 February kills one person and seriously injures seven others.

• 2010

  Hospital renamed Rotkreuzklinik Lindenberg; Dr.-Otto-Geßler-Platz inaugurated in front of the clinic.

• 2004

  Full general renovation of the building takes place (2004–2008).

• 1995

  Physical therapy department and cafeteria open.

• 1979

  Internal nursing school converted into a vocational school for nursing, cooperating with the Lindau district hospital.

• 1977

  Clinic extended with an additional wing; beds increase to 240 (1977/1978).

• 1963

  Dr.-Otto-Geßler-Kreiskrankenhaus Lindenberg opens on 21 February with 200 beds, a nurses' home and school.

• 1958

  Planning for the district hospital begins at the initiative of Otto Geßler.

• 1913

  Munich Red Cross sisters begin serving as community nurses in Lindenberg.

• 1889

  First hospital opens in Sedanstraße in Lindenberg.

Non-profit Red Cross hospital providing local basic and standard inpatient care for the Westallgäu region, with specialised joint/spine and oncology centres.

• Gelenk- und Wirbelsäulenzentrum Lindenberg

  Joint and Spine Centre founded in March 2018, providing conservative treatment, minimally invasive procedures, spine and joint surgery, rehabilitation and physiotherapy, plus a certified trauma centre. Led by senior physicians Alfred Huber, Norbert Wynands and Christoph Kruis.

• Onkologisches Zentrum Lindenberg

  Oncology Centre founded in May 2018, offering holistic diagnosis, therapy and aftercare for oncological diseases in the Westallgäu, with attached psycho-oncology and a palliative care ward. Led by senior physicians Marco Rigamonti and Alois Lang.

1. 1Rotkreuzklinik Lindenberg – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
2. 2Rotkreuzklinik Lindenberg – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Rotkreuzklinik Lindenberg – official websiterotkreuzklinik-lindenberg.de