Personal Testimonies Relating to the Contemporary History of German Geriatric Nursing

Abstract

In May 2022, nursing expert and critic Claus Fussek, who became known in Germany through his numerous media appearances, entrusted his enormous collection of files and documents to the Institute for the History of Medicine of the Robert Bosch Foundation for archival storage. This material includes approximately 50,000 letters from private individuals who reported severe shortcomings, acts of violence, and other issues in German nursing homes, covering the period from the 1990s to the year 2021. This extensive corpus of sources is unique due to its size and the type of selection, and it is hugely important for historical and social science research: it is a comprehensive reflection on the position and situation of nursing within German society. While reporting from different perspectives on the disastrous situations in German nursing homes, the writers – residents, family members, and nursing staff – provide many insights into the everyday practice of nursing.