Everts' account of his visit to Illenau Asylum, Achern (1847)

Everts reported that the famous institution at Illenau in the Grand Duchy of Baden had lived up to his expectations only in part. The complex most nearly resembled a small town in which the houses were similarly shaped and clustered together. On paper Illenau’s design was similar to that of Sachsenberg, but the actual impression made by its buildings was opposite to the one given by Sachsenberg. At Sachsenberg the annexes were located behind the main building, leaving the beautiful façade in full view. At Illenau the situation was reversed: buildings housing the hospital’s chronic patient wards, administrative offices and staff accommodation were cluttered in front of the main edifice, almost completely hiding it from the sight of visitors and passers-by. Twenty individual small, enclosed gardens, one for each ward, surround the buildings, and are themselves surrounded by walls approximately seven foot in height. From the outside looking in, Everts concluded, the overall visual effect was not pleasing.

Everts went on to note that Illenau was located in one of the most charming regions in Germany, near the village of Achern and in the immediate vicinity of the Black Forest. The asylum buildings themselves were compacted together in a low valley on completely flat terrain. This Everts considered unfortunate in the circumstances, attributing his disappointment with Illenau to the lack of simplicity and beauty in its design. He did admit, however, that the hospital’s interior layout was most impressive. Its large number of detached wards allowed for patients to be treated and accommodated separately according to sex, status and type of illness. At Illenau Everts found a good range of variously-sized rooms, and hallways and stairs that were spacious and well-lit. He noted, however, that the hospital’s ceilings were quite low, especially on wards on the third floor, giving the interior a rather cramped feel and detracting from its otherwise admirable qualities.

Everts reported that the grounds of Illenau were extensive. In addition to the enclosed gardens, there were large, picturesque vegetable gardens; orchards; climbing woodlands with established footpaths for walking; and extensive pastures and fields. Attractive galleries border each side of the asylum forecourt, providing easy access for staff between chronic and acute wards.

For the purpose of estimating the annual cost of running a mental institution, Everts gave details of expenses incurred at Illenau in 1846 and 1847, when it housed 398 patients, under eighteen budget heads:

1. Expenses for estates and buildings: 3000 florins per year
2. Expenses for fire insurance: 90 florins per year
3. Nursing costs: 52,400 florins per year
4. Medicinal supplies: 3553 florins per year
5. Clothing: 10,584 florins per year
6. Bed linen and undergarments: 3556 florins per year
7. Kitchen utensils and other tools: 1641 florins per year
8. Heating: 5500 florins per year
9. Lighting: 2259 florins per year
10. Cleaning: 2400 florins per year
11. Church and school needs: 77 florins per year
12. Rewards and allowance for the nurses: 2800 florins per year
13. Transport and travel costs: 70 florins per year
14. Funeral costs: 140 florins per year
15. Medical practitioners salaries: 6000 florins per year
16. Total income of other staff: 23,665 florins per year
17. Office supplies: 450 florins per year
18. Visiting costs: 80 florins per year

Total allowed for in both 1846 and 1847 budgets: 118,265 florins per year

Of this sum, 67,093 florins were paid by the Grand Duchy of Baden. Most of the remaining 51,172 florins were raised by patients’ boarding fees, proceeds of the hospital estate, and patient labour. Male nurses at Illenau had an annual income of 170 florins, while female nurses received 112 florins.

In 1846 and 1847, an additional budget of 20,000 florins was approved for items of capital and other one-off expenditure: 12,000 florins for a new plumbing system, 1600 florins for an steam-ironing machine, 4000 florins for the purchase of furniture and 2400 florins for general improvements to the buildings.

Ten eind de jaarlijksche uitgaven van een krankzinnigen gesticht, eenigzints te kunnen beoordelen, acht ik het niet onbelangrijk, de uitgaaf voor het gesticht Illenau /met 398 lijders/ zoo als dezelve door den in 1846 gehouden landdag in het Groothertogdom Baden, voor de jaren 1846 en 1847 vastgesteld en goedgekeurd is, hieronder te laten volgen. Dit budget bevat de 18 volgende rubrieken:

1.e Uitgaaf voor landerijen en gebouwen: F 3000,-
2. Uitgaaf voor waarborg tegen brand: F 90,-
3. Verplegingskosten: F 52400,-
4. Geneesmiddelen: F 3553,-
5. Kleeding: F 10584,-
6.Bedfournituren en lijflinnen: F 3556,-
7. Kamer, keuken en andere gereerdschappen: F 1641,-
8. Verwarming: F 5500,-
9. Verlichting: F 2259,-
10. Reiniging: F 2400,-
11. Kerk en schoolbehoeften: F 77,-
12. Beloningen en zakgelden voor de verpleegden: F 2800,-
13. Transport en reiskosten: F 70,-
14. Begrafeniskosten: F 140,-
15. Trackement der geneesheren: F. 6000,-
16. Jaarwedde beambten, oppassers enz.: F 23665,-
17. Kantoorbehoeft: F 450,-
18. Visitatie kosten: F 80,-

Voor ieder der beide budgetjaren 1846 en 1847 is alzoo toegestaan: F 118.265,-

Van deze som worden F 67093,- uit de fondsen van den staat betaald. De overige F 51172,- worden hoofdelijk gedekt door de kostgelden der verpleegden, voort door de opbrengst der landerijen, van den arbeid der verpleegden enz.
De jaar wedde der zieken oppassers is F 170,- voor de mannelijke en 112,- voor de vrouwelijke. Behalve dit budget voor de loopende en gewone uitgaven, werden nog bovendien F 20.000,- voor eenmaal, als buitengewone uitgaaf toegestaan, namelijk F 12.000 voor eene waterlijding, F 1600,- voor eene stoommachine, F 4000,- voor aankoop van meubilair, en F 2400,- voor eenige verbetering der gebouwen.

See also

• Sachsenberg Asylum (1830 - )

Related Asylums

• Achern - Illenau Asylum (1842 - 1940)

Related People

• Everts, Bernard Hendrik (1810 - 1883)