In 1856, the provincial assembly of Silesia in Wrocław established the Commission for the Construction of a Provincial Psychiatric Care and Treatment Institution, appointing Count von Burghauss as its chair. The exceptionally attractive site, the ease of obtaining construction materials, and the favorable conditions offered by the city authorities all contributed to the establishment of the complex in Bolesławiec.
The architectural design was created by Richard Schiller. He designed a complex for 400 patients, surrounded by a high wall and located away from the city center, in the Neo-Gothic style. Preparatory work began in May 1857; land was purchased for the project, and construction of the facility began a year later.
The first hospital pavilions were built on the side of Piastów Avenue and were impressive in size. To this day, they continue to amaze residents with their monumentality and style. In 1863, the hospital buildings were connected to the Municipal Gasworks, enabling the use of gas lighting inside the facilities—modern for its time.
The institution had water-supply and sewage systems, room heating, and a water tank. A new road was built to the main entrance on Piastów Avenue. Great attention was paid to greenery and gardens during the project, as they were intended to provide a form of therapy and a source of food for the patients.
A cemetery was established in a nearby forest, where hospital patients and staff were buried. It is estimated that around 3,000 people were buried there. On July 16, 1863, the hospital was officially opened, followed by an elegant reception at the Kronprinz Hotel. The first patients were admitted the following day from the hospital in Płakowice.
From the beginning of its operation, the institution adopted a revolutionary method of treating patients based on limiting the use of restraints, such as straitjackets and straps. They could be used only with a doctor's consent and in specific cases. The director emphasized the staff's appropriate attitude toward patients and a regular daily schedule, which included activities such as working in the vegetable gardens.
In 1904, Dr. Neisser became the hospital's director. He was an outstanding scientist and a figure highly regarded in the academic world. During his 26-year career at the Bolesławiec hospital, he became known for introducing the most modern methods of treating mental illnesses. He also negotiated an agreement with the city authorities to exclude the areas surrounding the facility from the city's expansion plans, ensuring the peace and harmony necessary for patient therapy.
His greatest achievement was the expansion of the facility between 1909 and 1913, which increased its capacity to 1,100 patients. The newly built structures were constructed in the spirit of modernism, with pitched roofs, loggias, and balconies. During this period, a new chapel was built, inspired by the Romanesque style.
The hospital grounds covered approximately 160 hectares in total, ensuring the institution's self-sufficiency. During the First World War, the facility served as a military hospital, while during the Second World War, the hospital staff attempted to fulfill their duties as well as possible.
As the situation at the front changed during the final months of the war, a decision was made to discharge the less seriously ill patients, while those who posed a threat to their surroundings were probably “disposed of.”
Today, the buildings of the former institution continue to serve sick people as the Provincial Hospital for the Nervously and Mentally Ill. In the next article, I will present the postwar history of the hospital and the people who shaped it during the second half of the 20th century.
Sources and photographs: Wratislaviae Amici, Provincial Hospital for the Nervously and Mentally Ill in Bolesławiec, A. Bober, A. Żurek.
Sebastian Zielonka – historian and graduate of the University of Wrocław. Specialization: archival science and conservation documentation. He is interested in the history of the region and the social life of Europeans in the 20th century. In his free time, he travels.
information: Sebastian Zielonka