A mother and child relief. It’s above the entrance of the Adolf-Cieslar-Haus. A silent sentinel of a past life.
This unassuming building the Adolf-Cieslar-Haus in Vienna’s 19th district holds a secret. It was once a Frauenhospiz a women’s hospice. Built in 1909 by the Association of Cooperative Health Insurance Funds it was Vienna’s first hospital founded by a health insurance company. Imagine the working-class women finding refuge here. They were escaping the dangers of home births. The hospice offered a safe haven a place for new life to begin.
It started with just 30 to 35 beds. But by 1927 it had expanded to 84. Around 1930 a quarter of all Viennese babies were born within its walls. That’s an astonishing number. The Adolf-Cieslar-Haus became renowned for its modern facilities and skilled doctors. Its reputation grew steadily. An ambulance service was even approved in 1936.
The Second World War brought changes. It served as a maternity clinic for the privileged and later a military hospital. After the war it returned to its original purpose. Renovated between 1964 and 1965 it regained its status as Vienna’s top maternity hospital. Yet despite its success cost-cutting measures led to its closure in 1975. The women and babies moved to the Hanusch Hospital.
The Adolf-Cieslar-Haus stood empty for a time. Then in 1979 the Republic of Austria acquired it. The Vienna International School used it briefly. Finally in 1984 the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences BOKU took over. After another renovation in 2003 the building became the administration building for BOKU. It’s now known as the Adolf-Cieslar-Haus. Named for a professor of forestry and former BOKU rector Adolf Cieslar.
So look closely. That mother and child relief is more than just decoration. It’s a reminder of the lives touched by the Adolf-Cieslar-Haus a building that has served Vienna in many ways for over a century. Its history is rich and varied a testament to adaptation resilience and the ever-evolving needs of the city. It continues to stand as a silent witness a keeper of untold stories of mothers babies and the tireless work of healthcare professionals.