Misericordia Hospital, Timișoara

The Misericordia Hospital (Romanian: Spitalul Mizericordienilor) in Timișoara is the oldest hospital in the city and the oldest public hospital on the current territory of Romania. Its building, a historical monument under LMI code TM-II-m-A-06164.02, is a joint structure with the Misericordia Church. The institution was founded in 1735 by the Franciscans of Timișoara through the Association of Saint John of Nepomuk, with the foundation stone laid by Bishop Franz Anton Engl von Wagrain. In 1737 the hospital was handed over to the Misericordian Order, which also opened the city's first pharmacy, Zum Granatapfel, on the right side of the building. The Misericordia Church was built on the pharmacy site between 1748 and 1757 with the financial support of Empress Maria Theresa. During the plague epidemic of 1738–39, the Brothers of Mercy cared for the sick, and four of them died. The church and hospital burned to their foundations during the siege of Timișoara by Hungarian revolutionaries on the night of 6–7 July 1849, destroying a valuable library as well. Restoration followed in 1851, and by 1853 the hospital was documented as operating with a capacity of 400 patients per year. In 1931 Hans Röhrich took charge and modernized the hospital into a surgical clinic with 55 beds. He established the first surgical-urological department in Timișoara, performed the first intrathoracic surgeries, and carried out the first lung removal in Romania. Surgical volume grew from 300 operations in 1931 to 600 by the end of that year, and ranged from 800 to 1,200 annually in subsequent years. On 1 October 1948 the hospital was nationalized, and the University Clinic for Ophthalmology was set up in the building. The ophthalmology clinic had begun in 1947 at the City Hospital under Nikolaus Blatt and moved to the Misericordia Hospital a year later. In 2011 the Ophthalmology Clinic was affiliated to the newly established Municipal Emergency Clinical Hospital, functioning as a department of it since then.

The Misericordia Hospital in Timișoara traces its origins to 5 April 1724, when the Franciscans of the city founded an association of Saint John of Nepomuk. This association began construction of the first hospital in Timișoara in 1735. The foundation stone was laid by Bishop Franz Anton Engl von Wagrain, and a Latin inscription on it recorded that the establishment was dedicated to charitable purposes. The hospital was located near the northwest gate of the fortifications, which were also in the early stages of construction. On 1 November 1737, the president of Banat, Johann Andreas von Hamilton, who was also president of the brotherhood of Saint John of Nepomuk, gave the new hospital to the use of the Misericordian Order. With the consent of Emperor Charles VI, six Misericordian monks were transferred to Timișoara under the leadership of vicar Paulinus Temele. They also opened the first pharmacy in the city, called Zum Granatapfel, on the right side of the building. On the site of that first pharmacy, the Misericordia Church was built between 1748 and 1757 with the financial support of Empress Maria Theresa. During the plague epidemic of 1738–39, the Brothers of Mercy selflessly cared for the sick, and four of them lost their own lives. During the siege of Timișoara by Hungarian revolutionaries, both the church and the Misericordia Hospital burned down to their foundations on the night of 6–7 July 1849. A valuable library also fell victim to the fire. Restorations followed immediately after the destruction, in 1851, with the church also being repaired, and from 1853 there is a direct reference to the operation of the hospital with a capacity of 400 patients per year. In 1931, after studying medicine at universities in Tübingen, Freiburg im Breisgau, Munich, Berlin Charité, Würzburg, and Heidelberg, Hans Röhrich took charge of the hospital and initiated a medical transformation. He began modernizing the hospital according to contemporary medical standards and expanded it into a surgical clinic. The hospital was equipped with 55 beds. Röhrich established the first surgical-urological department in Timișoara, performed the first intrathoracic surgeries, and carried out the first lung removal in Romania. In 1931, 300 surgeries were performed, and by the end of that year, the number had increased to 600. Over the following years, the number of surgeries ranged from 800 to 1,200 annually. On 1 October 1948, the Misericordia Hospital was nationalized. The University Clinic for Ophthalmology was set up in the building. Its development began in 1947 in the City Hospital under the direction of Nikolaus Blatt and was moved to the Misericordia Hospital a year later. In 2011, the Ophthalmology Clinic was affiliated to the newly established Municipal Emergency Clinical Hospital, functioning as a department of it since then.

• 2011

  The Ophthalmology Clinic is affiliated to the newly established Municipal Emergency Clinical Hospital.

• 1948

  On 1 October, the Misericordia Hospital is nationalized; the University Clinic for Ophthalmology is set up in the building.

• 1947

  Development of the University Clinic for Ophthalmology begins at the City Hospital under Nikolaus Blatt.

• 1931

  Hans Röhrich takes charge, modernizes the hospital into a surgical clinic with 55 beds, and performs 300 surgeries rising to 600 by year-end.

• 1853

  Direct reference to the hospital operating with a capacity of 400 patients per year.

• 1851

  Restoration of the hospital and church begins immediately after the fire.

• 1849

  On the night of 6–7 July, the church and hospital burn to their foundations during the siege of Timișoara by Hungarian revolutionaries.

• 1748

  Construction of the Misericordia Church begins on the site of the first pharmacy, with support from Empress Maria Theresa; completed in 1757.

• 1738

  During the plague epidemic of 1738–39, four Brothers of Mercy die while caring for the sick.

• 1737

  On 1 November, the hospital is given to the Misericordian Order; six monks arrive and open the first pharmacy in the city, Zum Granatapfel.

• 1735

  Construction of the first hospital in Timișoara begins; foundation stone laid by Bishop Franz Anton Engl von Wagrain.

• 1724

  Franciscans of Timișoara found the Association of Saint John of Nepomuk on 5 April.

Historic public hospital and university ophthalmology clinic in Timișoara, recognized as the oldest hospital in the city and the oldest public hospital on Romanian territory.

• Ophthalmology Clinic

  University clinic for ophthalmology operating in the historic Misericordia Hospital building since 1948.

• Surgical clinic (historical)

  Under Hans Röhrich from 1931, the hospital was expanded into a surgical clinic with 55 beds, performing up to 1,200 surgeries annually.

• First pharmacy Zum Granatapfel (historical)

  Opened by the Misericordian monks in 1737 on the right side of the hospital building.

1. 1Misericordia Hospital, Timișoara - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Spitalul Mizericordienilor din Timișoara - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Disciplina de Oftalmologie - UMFTumft.ro