The postcard shows two black and white pictures. The lower one is an overall view of the settlement. Many houses can be seen in the middle of other fields. In the centre is a church with an onion dome. The lower picture shows Adolf Hitler Square. Behind a paved square is a church building with a high onion dome. The square is lined with tall flagpoles and young trees.

Postcard, greetings from Wiesengrund in Sudetengau, 17 June 1939.

ArEGL 99.

WIESENGRUND (BEI PILSEN) | DOBŘANY

An Institution and nursing home had existed in Wiesengrund (near Pilsen, now Dobřany) since 1880 and had been expanded several times. In 1940, it was able to accommodate 2,784 patients. In addition, a nursing and educational home for 200 children was established there in 1940. The associated special school was run by five nuns.

The large institution had its own railway station. Between April and December 1941 alone, over 1,100 patients were transferred. Their destination was most likely the Hartheim killing centre. In 1944, several transports from the Rhineland arrived in Wiesengrund. It can be assumed that significantly more transfers took place.

By 1942 at the latest, a »Children’s ward« had been opened in the nursing and educational home under the direction of the institution’s director, Karl Hever. Nurse Anna Vratnik was responsible for the »Children’s ward« as a caregiver. When Karl Hever fell ill in May 1944, Karl Girschek took over the management of the Wiesengrund and Troppau institutions and nursing homes. It is unclear whether the »Children’s ward« still existed after the summer of 1944.

The number of victims at Wiesengrund is unknown. As recently as 2010, the current hospital management refused to grant a research group access to the hospital archives.

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