Ehemalige Kinderklinik

What if walls could whisper the stories of little souls? Here at the Ehemalige Kinderklinik, they hold a century of laughter, tears, and healing. The Ehemalige Kinderklinik, once known as the Grand Ducal Victoria Pensionat, started its life in 1907, designed by Friedrich Ratzel as a girls’ school. Its location, nestled within the exclusive Fasanengarten (pheasant garden), added a touch of prestige. Imagine young ladies strolling through the gardens, their laughter echoing through the halls. But destiny had other plans for this building. In 1920, Grand Duchess Luise generously donated the building for a much-needed children’s hospital. It was a time of great need in post-war Karlsruhe. Enter Professor Franz Lust, a distinguished pediatrician who had already made a name for himself in Heidelberg. He oversaw the transformation of the former pensionat into a state-of-the-art Kinderklinik. The Ehemalige Kinderklinik quickly became a beacon of hope for families across Germany. Under Lust’s leadership, it blossomed into one of the leading children’s hospitals in the country. He not only provided exceptional medical care but also established a “House of Health.” Here, mothers could attend childcare courses. Working mothers could even leave their children in a creche. The Ehemalige Kinderklinik became a haven for families, a place where children received the best possible care. The legacy of Professor Lust, however, carries a shadow. A Jewish doctor, he was dismissed from his post in 1933 under the Nazi regime. Despite his dedication to his young patients, his heritage made him a target. He tragically took his own life in 1939, just a day before receiving a visa that would have allowed him to escape the horrors of Nazi Germany. In 1950, the city honored his memory by officially naming the hospital the Franz-Lust-Kinderklinik. The Ehemalige Kinderklinik remained in operation at this location until 2003, when the children’s hospital moved to the newly constructed “Haus S” in Moltkestrasse. Today, the building serves the University of Karlsruhe. It houses the Academic Foreign Office, the Studienkolleg, and parts of the Faculty of Computer Science. Though its purpose has changed, the Ehemalige Kinderklinik’s walls still echo with the whispers of its past, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of compassion.