Rehaklinik Waldmühle
THE ABANDONED HOSPITAL IN GERMANY
‘Rehaklinik Waldmühle’ is a health clinic that was built more than 100 years ago as a hotel. It was expanded several times, but eventually abandoned in 1997.
The Waldmühle was built in 1865 as a hotel with restaurant. It was built on the grounds of an old oil mill with the same name. The first owner of the hotel was the innkeeper Behnecke. After the hotel went bankrupt, many owners tried again, unfortunately a big fire destroyed the hotel. Thereupon a new hotel was built. Hotelier W Frede inaugurated the new Hotel Waldmühle in 1901.
Military hospital
During the First and Second World Wars, like many hotels in Blankenburg, the Waldmühle was prepared as a reserve hospital for wounded soldiers.
From 1918 the hotel became a holiday home. But in 1925 entrepreneur Hellmeister reopened the Waldmühle as a hotel again. After the Second World War it became a home of the FDGB, but not much later the Nationale Volksarmee changed its use into a military hospital again. In the 1970s, the military hospital was relocated, and the forest mill was assigned to the Teufelsbad health clinic. As a result, cardiovascular patients came for spa and curative treatment.
In 1997, a new health clinic was constructed near Waldmühle, leading to the relocation of all patients. Subsequently, the new owner of the building transformed it back into a restaurant. But sadly, its new use only lasted for two years. It was left deserted again in 1999. Nowadays, the structure is in a deteriorated condition due to vandalism by local youngsters. Consequently, all entry points are sealed off following a floor collapse. I captured these images of ‘Rehaklinik Waldmühle’ during my visit in 2014.
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