Die Heilstätten der Landesversicherungsanstalt Berlin bei Beelitz i/Mark

The “Arbeiter-Lungenheilstätten” Beelitz, built between 1898 and 1930 by the Landesversicherungsanstalt Berlin, was one of the largest hospital complexes in the Berlin area and an exemplary overall medical facility for its time. With exemplary social commitment and taking into account the latest medical findings, the hospital took action against tuberculosis and other lung diseases, which were devastating at the time. In addition, there were numerous sanatoriums for the treatment of non-infectious diseases, such as digestive, metabolic or cardiac diseases. In addition to the clinic buildings, the operating buildings were also constructed according to innovative technical principles. Heino Schmieden and Julius Boethke as well as Fritz Schulz were responsible as architects of the early construction phases. Commissioned in 1902, a memorandum published by the Landesversicherungsanstalt Berlin was published by Ernst Wasmuth Verlag Berlin to mark the 25th anniversary in 1927. The reprint, slightly reduced in size, not only documents the original condition of the plant, but is also of great interest in terms of medical history and social history. Gerwin Zohlen’s preface not only deals with the architecture of the sanatoriums, it also traces their eventful history in later times.