Augusta Victoria Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Augusta Victoria Hospital |
|
|---|---|
Augusta Victoria church-hospital complex on the Mount of Olives, 2016
|
|
| Geography | |
| Location | East Jerusalem, Palestine |
| Organisation | |
| Care system | Private |
| Funding | Non-profit hospital |
| Hospital type | Community; specialised care (dialysis, oncology) |
| Affiliated university | None |
| Patron | Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | No |
| Beds | 171 (as of 2022) |
The Augusta Victoria Compound is a special place in East Jerusalem. It has a hospital and a church complex. You can find it on the northern side of the Mount of Olives. The hospital is part of a group of six hospitals called the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network.
This compound was built between 1907 and 1914. It was created by the Empress Augusta Victoria Foundation. It was meant to be a center for the German Protestant community in Palestine during the Ottoman period.
Over the years, the compound has been used in many ways. It has served as a military hospital during both World Wars. It also became a hospital for Palestinian refugees and the general public from 1950 onwards. Sometimes, it was even used as a government or military headquarters.
Today, Augusta Victoria Hospital offers special medical care. It helps Palestinians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Services include a cancer center, a dialysis unit, and a children's center. It is the second-largest hospital in East Jerusalem. It is also a key specialized care unit in the West Bank or Gaza Strip.
Contents
History of Augusta Victoria
Building the Compound
The Augusta Victoria compound was named after Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein. She was the wife of German Kaiser Wilhelm II. The Kaiser visited Jerusalem in 1898. After his visit, he decided to build a guesthouse for German pilgrims.
The architect, Robert Leibnitz, designed the complex. He was inspired by grand German palaces. People across Germany donated money for the project. Many building materials were brought from Germany.
The compound was officially opened on April 10, 1910. However, construction was not fully finished until 1914. A tall church tower, about 60 meters high, was built. It had four bells, with the largest one weighing six tons. To bring these heavy bells from Jaffa to Jerusalem, the road had to be made wider and paved. This transport cost more than double the price of shipping the bells from Hamburg to Jaffa. Augusta Victoria was also the first building in the area to have electricity. It got its power from a diesel generator.
During World War I
During World War I, the Augusta Victoria Hospital became a German military hospital. From 1915 to 1917, the compound was used as the Ottoman headquarters. Later, from June to December 1917, it served as the headquarters for the German military forces in the region.
British Control and Changes
After the British took control, the compound became the headquarters for General Allenby's forces. Later, it was used by the British Military Administration.
From 1920 to 1927, Augusta Victoria was the official home of the British High Commissioner for Palestine. In 1927, a big earthquake severely damaged the buildings. The pointy roof of the bell tower had to be rebuilt shorter by 10 meters. The British headquarters then moved to a different location.
In 1928, the compound was given back to its original German owner, the Empress Augusta Victoria Foundation.
During World War II
During World War II, the compound was again used as a hospital by the British.
Under Jordanian Administration
After World War II, the property was managed by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). In 1950, the LWF opened a large hospital for refugees in the compound. Dr. Tawfiq Canaan, an Arab Palestinian doctor, was the hospital director until 1956.
Before the 1967 Six-Day War, the campus had several bunkers for defense.
After 1967
During the 1967 Six-Day War, the building was badly damaged. The top floor was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt in 1988.
Augusta Victoria Today
Today, Augusta Victoria Hospital continues to provide specialized care. It serves Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Its services include a cancer center, a dialysis unit, and a children's center. In 2016, it opened a bone marrow transplantation unit.
The hospital is the second-largest in East Jerusalem. It is also the only specialized-care hospital offering radiation therapy for the entire Palestinian population. It has 171 beds as of 2022. In 2022, the hospital performed over 22,717 dialysis sessions, 18,800 chemotherapy sessions, and 31,717 radiation sessions.
In May 2016, the hospital received re-accreditation from Joint Commission International. This is a US-based group that checks hospitals worldwide.
Augusta Victoria Hospital is one of six specialized medical centers in the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network. These hospitals are very important. They provide advanced care for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This includes cancer care, heart and eye surgeries, and special care for newborns.
Since 1950, the hospital has been mainly run and funded by The Lutheran World Federation and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The hospital's goal is to provide healthcare to everyone, no matter their background.
In 2022, US President Joe Biden visited the hospital. On November 27, 2023, German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also paid a visit.
Compound Buildings
The Augusta Victoria compound has several important buildings and organizations:
- 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 Jerusalem branch of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF). The guesthouse is run by the LWF for international volunteers and guests.
Cancer Care Services
The hospital has a special Department of Oncology. This is an advanced center for treating cancer. The department includes 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, Italian foundations, and the Hadassah University Hospital. Hadassah Hospital helped train the staff for this new ward.
See also
In Spanish: Hospital Augusta Victoria para niños
- Patient's Friends Society-Jerusalem
