180 years of medicine: Witzenhausen celebrates with a big open day

180 years of medicine: Witzenhausen celebrates with a big open day

On June 25, 2025, the Werra-Meißner Clinic in Witzenhausen opened its doors for a special “open day”. 180 years of hospital history in Witzenhausen were duly celebrated. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors experienced a lively meeting place for medicine, care and technology. Clinic spokesman Florian Künemund emphasized that this event was the first major event of its kind after the corona pandemic. There was great interest: families and seniors flocked to the premises to find out more about the clinic's numerous offerings.

The clinic presented itself as particularly innovative with the “Bemo bed bike system”, which enables active or passive training while lying down. The participants were also able to try out the “gummy bear surgery,” where they were able to work with real surgical instruments. An exhibition of real pacemakers and a live demonstration on a pig's stomach offered exciting insights into medical procedures.

Insight into the specialist areas

The event also saw the opening of the emergency room, which offered training on first aid and resuscitation techniques. These practical insights were well received because visitors had the opportunity to actively participate and gain valuable knowledge in the process. For the younger guests there was a “stuffed animal clinic” where they could “medicate” their stuffed animals, as well as activities by the youth fire brigade, which provided a lot of fun.

The anatomical diagrams that explained the human body facilitated low-threshold access to medical topics and were met with great interest. This shows how important it is to involve and educate the population in medical issues. In addition, the “Friends of Jewish Life” association remembered the history of the synagogue at the clinic location and the victims of National Socialism, which provided additional thoughtfulness.

Another location in focus

At the same time, the Werra-Meißner Clinic also offered an open day at its Eschwege location. Hundreds of visitors were welcomed here by managing director Christoph R. Maier, who presented the program. Here, too, guests were able to take tours of normally inaccessible areas, including the operating room and the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Private lecturer Dr. Peter Schott and the team explained the most modern minimally invasive procedures to interested visitors.

The demonstration of keyhole surgery attracted particular interest. In addition, the current construction work to accommodate radiology was discussed, which points to the ongoing investments in modern medical technology and infrastructure. In order to underline the importance of medical care, the in-house nursing school IfGK was also available, which offered information about career opportunities to career starters and career changers.

The open day in Eschwege also provided a comprehensive picture of the clinic's medical expertise and the importance of public money for its continued existence. Despite economic concerns, managing director Christoph R. Maier expressed an optimistic view of the future of the clinic.

Overall, both events illustrate how important it is to educate the population about medical issues and to strengthen trust in healthcare facilities. If you would like to find out more about the events, you can do so here: HNA, Werra Rundschau, MHH.