Klinikum Frankfurt

Can you imagine a hospital with roots stretching back to the 14th century? Right here, before you, stands Klinikum Frankfurt (Oder), a testament to centuries of medical care in this historic city. The first hospital in Frankfurt (Oder), a hospital for lepers later known as St. Georg, is mentioned in records as far back as 1312. Klinikum Frankfurt (Oder) carries this legacy forward. Later, hospitals like St. Spiritus and the Jakobihospital, originally a shelter for travelers and pilgrims, emerged, woven into the medieval medical landscape. Klinikum Frankfurt (Oder) stands on the shoulders of these institutions. Think about Carl August Wilhelm Berends, a prominent physician who significantly shaped Frankfurt (Oder)’s medical history. Berends, a professor at the Viadrina’s medical faculty from 1788 to 1811, emphasized practical student training. Part of this training took place at the Thiel’schen Krankenhaus, which Berends co-designed and directed. His influence led to the establishment of a “clinical institute” in 1810, a precursor to inpatient treatment, later adopted by the city as the Allgemeines Krankenhaus. These early institutions, including Klinikum Frankfurt (Oder), reflect the evolution of healthcare, transitioning from church-run “Krankenhäuser” to civic hospitals. The 19th and 20th centuries saw the rise of more specialized facilities, including those for infectious diseases and children, a Jewish hospital, a military hospital, the Lutherstiftung, and a hospital for the ill of all social classes and faiths. The Städtische Krankenhaus, opened in 1901 on Chausseestraße (now Goepelstraße), even underwent expansion in the mid-1920s due to increasing patient numbers, becoming one of Germany’s most modern hospitals by 1945. Klinikum Frankfurt (Oder) continues this tradition of modernization. The post-World War II era brought new challenges. Frankfurt (Oder) became a border city, a first stop for millions displaced by the war. Numerous provisional hospitals, military hospitals, and aid facilities arose to meet the demand. After numerous relocations and restructuring within the city, the decision was made in 1971 to construct the Bezirkskrankenhaus Frankfurt (Oder), which we know today as Klinikum Frankfurt (Oder). The groundbreaking ceremony at Markendorfer Wäldchen marked the beginning of a new era. This new hospital, with a planned capacity of 1,200 beds, partially opened in 1983 and fully operational a year later. With the reunification of Germany in 1989, the Bezirkskrankenhaus, renamed “Klinikum Frankfurt (Oder),” faced new opportunities for growth and development. Collaboration with the state of Brandenburg led to a strategic plan focused on consolidating hospital services at the Markendorf location. Many construction projects followed, addressing building deficiencies and upgrading medical and interior equipment to high standards. The second ward building in Markendorf, part of this consolidation effort, was completed in 2003, bringing all inpatient care to one location. Klinikum Frankfurt (Oder) now provides highly specialized care across various departments, including gastroenterology, oncology, neurosurgery, neurology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, traumatology, cardiology, and gynecology and obstetrics.