Augusta Victoria Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Augusta Victoria Hospital |
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The Augusta Victoria complex in 2016. It includes a church and hospital.
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| Geography | |
| Location | East Jerusalem |
| Organisation | |
| Funding | 1910 |
| Hospital type | Community, Specialist |
| Affiliated university | None |
| Patron | Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | No |
The Augusta Victoria Compound is a hospital and church complex. It is located on the northern side of the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem. It is one of six hospitals in the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network.
The compound was built between 1907 and 1914. It was created by the Empress Augusta Victoria Foundation. It served as a center for the German Protestant community in Ottoman Palestine. Today, the complex includes the German Protestant Church of the Ascension. This church has a tall belltower. There is also a meeting center for visitors, a kindergarten, and a café. The Jerusalem branch of the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology is also here.
For most of its history, the compound has been a hospital. It was used by the military during the World Wars. Since 1950, it has served Palestinian refugees and the general public. At times, it was also a government or military headquarters.
Today, Augusta Victoria Hospital offers special medical care. It helps Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Services include a cancer center, a dialysis unit, and a pediatric center. It is the second-largest hospital in East Jerusalem. It is also the only specialized care hospital left in the West Bank or Gaza Strip.
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History of Augusta Victoria Hospital
The complex is named after Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein. She was the wife of German Kaiser Wilhelm II. The Kaiser visited Jerusalem in 1898. The architect, Robert Leibnitz, designed the complex. He was inspired by German palaces like the Hohenzollern Castle.
The construction of the compound was finished in 1914. It was officially opened on April 10, 1910. The Kaiser wanted a guesthouse for German pilgrims. Money was collected from people across Germany. Many building materials came from Germany. A 60-meter tall church tower was built. It had four bells, with the largest weighing six tons. To bring these bells from Jaffa, the road to Jerusalem had to be made wider and paved. Augusta Victoria was the first building in the country to have electricity. It was powered by a diesel generator.
Augusta Victoria During the World Wars
During World War I, the hospital was used by the German military. From 1915 to 1917, the compound was the headquarters for the Ottoman army. Later, it became the headquarters for the German high command. After the British took control, it served as the headquarters for General Allenby's forces. It then became the headquarters for the British Military Administration.
From 1920 to 1927, Augusta Victoria was the official home of the British High Commissioner for Palestine. In 1927, an earthquake badly damaged the buildings. The pointy roof of the bell tower was rebuilt 10 meters shorter. The British headquarters then moved to another location. In 1928, the compound was returned to its German owner.
During World War II, the British used the compound as a hospital again.
Under Jordanian rule, it became a military hospital. It treated soldiers from the Arab Legion.
After World War II, the property was given to the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). In 1950, the LWF opened a large hospital for refugees there. The hospital director was Dr. Tawfiq Canaan.
Before the 1967 Six-Day War, the campus had several bunkers. During that war, the building was heavily damaged. The top floor was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt in 1988.
Augusta Victoria Today
Today, Augusta Victoria Hospital offers special medical care. It helps Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Services include a cancer center, a dialysis unit, and a pediatric center. In 2016, it opened a bone marrow transplant unit. It is the second-largest hospital in East Jerusalem. It is also the only specialized hospital in the West Bank or Gaza Strip. It has 120 beds for patients. Many outpatients come for dialysis and radiation treatment. It is the only facility offering radiation therapy to 4.5 million Palestinians in the area.
In May 2016, Joint Commission International approved the hospital again. This group checks hospitals around the world.
The hospital is one of six special medical centers in the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network. These hospitals include:
- Makassed Islamic Charitable Hospital
- Augusta Victoria Hospital
- Red Crescent Maternity Hospital
- St. John's Eye Hospital
- Princess Basma Rehabilitation Centre
- St. Joseph's Hospital
These hospitals are the main places for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to get advanced care. This includes cancer care, heart and eye surgeries, and children's rehabilitation.
Since 1950, The Lutheran World Federation and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) have mainly run and funded the hospital. The hospital's goal is to provide healthcare to everyone. This means no matter their background, religion, gender, or country.
The hospital currently (2022) has 171 beds. In 2022, it performed many medical sessions. These included 22,717 dialysis sessions, 18,800 chemotherapy sessions, and 31,717 radiation sessions.
In 2022, US President Joe Biden visited the hospital. In November 2023, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also visited.
Compound Buildings
The Augusta Victoria compound currently has these buildings and groups:
- Augusta Victoria Hospital
- Church of the Ascension (German Protestant)
- Evangelical (Protestant) Pilgrims and Meeting Centre
- An interreligious kindergarten
- Café Auguste Victoria
- The German Protestant Institute of Archaeology, Jerusalem branch
The home of the pastor for the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer is also on the site. There are also offices and living areas for The Lutheran World Federation.
The guesthouse is run by The Lutheran World Federation. It hosts international volunteers and guests.
Cancer Treatment at Augusta Victoria
The hospital has an Oncology Department. This is an advanced center for cancer treatment. The department has units for medical oncology, radiation oncology, and surgical oncology.
A special ward for Palestinian children with cancer opened in April 2005. This was a joint project with the Peres Center for Peace. Other groups and the Hadassah University Hospital also helped. Hadassah trained the cancer doctors and nurses.
See Also
In Spanish: Hospital Augusta Victoria para niños
- Patient's Friends Society-Jerusalem
