Commemorative work

The hospital of Klingenmünster, too, participated in the criminal actions of Nazi psychiatry. Studies prove that at least 296 female and male patients of the asylum were deported and died a violent death in other facilities outside Klingenmünster. About 1.700 further patients died in Klingenmünster from purposeful deprivation of food, denial of assistance and probably also from an overdose of drugs. Furthermore, the asylum was actively involved in the Nazi genetic healthcare policy and the realization of enforced sterilization in the Palatinate. 

The German documentation "Die Heil- und Pflegeanstalt Klingenmünster 1933 – 1945" (The Mental Hospital of Klingenmünster 1933 – 1945") written by Karl Scherer, Otfried Linde and Roland Paul and published by the "Institut für pfälzische Geschichte und Volkskunde" (Institute for Palatine History and Folklore) bears witness to the state of research up to 1998.

In 1993, a memorial stone for the victims of Nazi psychiatry was inaugurated. The German inscription reads "In memory of the victims of national socialist psychiatry – as reminder to the living".

Since the year 1996, January 27 has been the commemoration day for the victims of National Socialism in the whole Republic of Germany, thus, also at the "Pfalzklinikum". There are commemoration ceremonies that get much feedback with employees, patients and relatives as well as with the people of the region. 

In 2003, the exhibition "Euthanasia in Hadamar and Klingenmünster" took place. More than 2.500 visitors, especially pupils from schools of the neighbourhood toured the exhibition.
The work group "ethics", established in 2001, set off the initiative for this exhibition. Employees of different professional groups, hospital pastors and a member of the administrative board belong to this work group which also suggested and encouraged the creation of a memorial for the Nazi victims.

The first part of the "Palatine memorial for the victims of Nazi psychiatry was inaugurated on April 11, 2008 at the hospital cemetery in the immediate vicinity of the hospital grounds in Klingenmünster – situated in the district of Göcklingen.

Within the scope of a dissertation fellowship, the cultural scientist Christof Beyer worked on the chronicle of 150 years of "Pfalzklinikum" from 2007 to 2009 and, of course, in doing so the darkest chapter in the hospital’s past is illuminated adequately. The dissertation was supported by the "Bezirksverband Pfalz", the regional association of the Palatinate, and was  published by the "Institut für pfälzische Geschichte und Volkskunde" (Institute for Palatine History and Folklore) in the year 2009. The titel of the book is: "Von der Kreisirrenanstalt zum Pfalzklinikum. Eine Geschichte der Psychiatrie in Klingenmünster"
(ISBN 3-927754-68-3)