Irsee
Encyclopedia
Irsee is a village and municipality
in the district of Ostallgäu
in Bavaria
in Germany
.
The centre of the village is dominated by a monastery
(Klosterbau), dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was founded in 1186 by Margrave Henry of Ronsberg
to house a community that had grown up around a local hermit
. It came close to collapse in the 14th century, when the community was reduced to a single monk
, and was saved only by the intervention in 1373 of Anna von Ellerbach, the second founder, sister of the Bishop of Augsburg
, and her appointee, abbot Conrad III, known for his extreme frugality. After severe losses during both the Peasants' War
in 1525 and the Thirty Years' War
in the 17th century, including on both occasions the destruction of the library and on the second occasion of the archives, the abbey was finally able to put itself back on a stable footing in the later 17th century, and at length in 1694 was granted Reichsunmittelbarkeit, becoming an Imperial abbey (Reichsabtei). The monastery
was dissolved in the secularisation of 1802 when it became a part of Bavaria
. The greater part of the library was moved to Metten Abbey
.
In 1812 accommodation for the parish priest and local officials was set up in the monastery buildings. From 1849 the premises were used as an asylum and hospital
for the mentally ill.
to death camps. On arrival at Kaufbeuren the Americans had placed the state hospital 'off limits' as it had a large sign warning of typhus
in the hospital. On July 2 1945 two medical officers inspected the premises where they found over 1500 neglected patients, one was 10 years old and his weight was 2 pounds. The morgue was filled with bodies.The hospital continued for weeks after World War II
as a 'wholesale extermination plant' until Allied forces became aware of it.
At the war crimes trial at Wiesbaden, October 1945, in response to questions about the killing of those deemed 'not fit for work' due to physical illness those responsible for the killings repeated the arguments for euthanasia. The Nazi medical profession studied the brains of the victims to advance neuropathology.
The hospital here operated a 'childrens killing ward' for compulsory Euthanasia
, also known as Aktion T4, on 29 May 1945, Richard Jenne (died at age 4) was the last victim to be murdered by the Nazi regime in the children's ward of the hospital, more than three weeks after troops from the U.S. had occupied the town. The Nazi extermination machine had come full circle using German nationals. For it was in this institution and similar ones, that basic training was provided for those who would run the death camps.The site has a memorial with the words "In memory of the 2000 patients of the hospital Kaufbeuren-Irsee who were murdered between 1940 and 1945 as victims of Hitler's 'Euthanasia decree'"
. It was whilst teaching on this in 2007 that the painter Clive Head
and art theorist Michael Paraskos
began to formulate the New Aesthetics
movement in art.
Municipalities of Germany
Municipalities are the lowest level of territorial division in Germany. This may be the fourth level of territorial division in Germany, apart from those states which include Regierungsbezirke , where municipalities then become the fifth level.-Overview:With more than 3,400,000 inhabitants, the...
in the district of Ostallgäu
Ostallgäu
Ostallgäu is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Oberallgäu, Unterallgäu, Augsburg, Landsberg, Weilheim-Schongau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and by the Austrian state of Tyrol...
in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The centre of the village is dominated by a monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
(Klosterbau), dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was founded in 1186 by Margrave Henry of Ronsberg
Ronsberg
Ronsberg is a municipality in the district of Ostallgäu in Bavaria in Germany....
to house a community that had grown up around a local hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
. It came close to collapse in the 14th century, when the community was reduced to a single monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
, and was saved only by the intervention in 1373 of Anna von Ellerbach, the second founder, sister of the Bishop of Augsburg
Bishop of Augsburg
The Bishop of Augsburg is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Augsburg in the Ecclesiastical province of München und Freising.The diocese covers an area of 13,250 km².The current bishop is Konrad Zdarsa who was appointed in 2010....
, and her appointee, abbot Conrad III, known for his extreme frugality. After severe losses during both the Peasants' War
Peasants' War
The Peasants' War was a popular revolt that took place in Europe during 1524–1525...
in 1525 and the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
in the 17th century, including on both occasions the destruction of the library and on the second occasion of the archives, the abbey was finally able to put itself back on a stable footing in the later 17th century, and at length in 1694 was granted Reichsunmittelbarkeit, becoming an Imperial abbey (Reichsabtei). The monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
was dissolved in the secularisation of 1802 when it became a part of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. The greater part of the library was moved to Metten Abbey
Metten Abbey
Metten Abbey, or St. Michael's Abbey at Metten is a house of the Benedictine Order in Metten near Deggendorf, situated between the fringes of the Bavarian Forest and the valley of the Danube, in Bavaria in Germany.The abbey was founded in 766 by Gamelbert of Michaelsbuch...
.
In 1812 accommodation for the parish priest and local officials was set up in the monastery buildings. From 1849 the premises were used as an asylum and hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
for the mentally ill.
Euthanasia, 1939 to 1945
Between 1939 and 1945 more than 2,000 patients, both adults and children, were transported by the Nazi regime from Irsee and KaufbeurenKaufbeuren
Kaufbeuren is an independent city in the Regierungsbezirk of Schwaben, southern Bavaria. The city is completely enclaved within the district of Ostallgäu.- Culture and Objects of Interest :* Townhall * Crescentiakloster...
to death camps. On arrival at Kaufbeuren the Americans had placed the state hospital 'off limits' as it had a large sign warning of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
in the hospital. On July 2 1945 two medical officers inspected the premises where they found over 1500 neglected patients, one was 10 years old and his weight was 2 pounds. The morgue was filled with bodies.The hospital continued for weeks after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a 'wholesale extermination plant' until Allied forces became aware of it.
At the war crimes trial at Wiesbaden, October 1945, in response to questions about the killing of those deemed 'not fit for work' due to physical illness those responsible for the killings repeated the arguments for euthanasia. The Nazi medical profession studied the brains of the victims to advance neuropathology.
The hospital here operated a 'childrens killing ward' for compulsory Euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
, also known as Aktion T4, on 29 May 1945, Richard Jenne (died at age 4) was the last victim to be murdered by the Nazi regime in the children's ward of the hospital, more than three weeks after troops from the U.S. had occupied the town. The Nazi extermination machine had come full circle using German nationals. For it was in this institution and similar ones, that basic training was provided for those who would run the death camps.The site has a memorial with the words "In memory of the 2000 patients of the hospital Kaufbeuren-Irsee who were murdered between 1940 and 1945 as victims of Hitler's 'Euthanasia decree'"
Hospital Closure
In 1972 the hospital was wound up. The local authority of the district of Schwaben began the restoration of the buildings in 1974, which opened as the Schwäbische Tagungs- und Bildungszentrum Kloster Irsee ("Kloster Irsee Swabian Conference and Training Centre") in 1984. The Conference Centre is home to the Schwabenakademiehttp://www.schwabenakademie.de/ and is used for a variety of events including the annual Kunstleben, an annual art festival, organised by the Schwabenakademie in co-operation with the University of AugsburgUniversity of Augsburg
The University of Augsburg is a university located in the Universitätsviertel section of Augsburg, Germany. It was founded in 1970 and is organized in 7 Faculties....
. It was whilst teaching on this in 2007 that the painter Clive Head
Clive Head
-Biography:Head was born in Maidstone, Kent, the son of a machine operator at Reed's Paper Mill in Aylesford. Head had a precocious talent in art and at the age of 11 attended Reeds Art Club, a social club organised at his father's factory. In 1983 he began studying for a degree in Fine Art at the...
and art theorist Michael Paraskos
Michael Paraskos
Michael Paraskos, FRSA a writer on art, the son of the Cypriot artist Stass Paraskos. He has written several books, essays and articles on art, literature and politics, and has taught in universities and colleges and curated several exhibitions...
began to formulate the New Aesthetics
New Aesthetics (The)
The New Aesthetics is an art movement that stresses the material and physical processes in the making of visual art.-Origins:The origin of the New Aesthetics lies in an art summer school held in Irsee, southern Germany, in 2007 and the joint class held there by the English artist Clive Head and the...
movement in art.