“Did you know that this very building once echoed with the cries of newborns and the whispers of anxious mothers?” The Hauptgebäude der ehemaligen Frauenklinik in Greifswald stands before you. Its walls bear witness to over a century of history. This wasn’t always a university building. For many years it served as Greifswald’s women’s clinic.
This building’s story begins much earlier than its current form. The origins of the University of Greifswald’s medical care reach back to 1456.The university’s medical faculty lacked proper clinical facilities for over 300 years. Practical training began with the opening of the royal Swedish military hospital in 1781. It had only 20 beds. The first outpatient clinic opened in 1794 in rented city rooms. It offered free treatment to poor families. It also served as a training ground for physicians.
Friedrich August Gottlob Berndt a physician and university professor took over the city’s poor relief medical services in 1825. He directed the military hospital and added a maternity ward on Domstraße. This maternity ward is the precursor to today’s women’s clinic. In 1831 a building was constructed on the hospital grounds for 40 to 50 patients. It became known as the “Clinical Hospital” or “Medical-Surgical Clinic”.
By the mid-19th century natural sciences gained prominence. This led to the specialization of medical fields. New specialized facilities emerged in Greifswald. A main clinical university medicine site was on Langefuhrstraße. Other clinics were located both inside and outside the old town. A 1925 land donation allowed the university to expand beyond the old town. The opening of a modern dermatology clinic in 1929 marked a pivotal moment. A clinic for ENT diseases followed in 1935. The cornerstone for the current hospital building was laid in 1977.
The reunification of Germany brought about restructuring. The goal was to unite all clinics at one location. From 2004 many clinics moved to their current location on Sauerbruchstraße. In 1878 this building opened its doors as a dedicated women’s clinic. This building remained the home of the women’s clinic until 2008. The year 2008 also marked the clinic’s 130th birthday. A special celebration was held. The move to a new building marked a transition for this institution. Yet this building still stands a testament to the care and dedication of those who worked within its walls. Imagine the countless lives touched within these walls. Each brick whispers stories of births deaths and everything in between. The Hauptgebäude der ehemaligen Frauenklinik is more than just a building it’s a legacy.