Information about the history

Świeradów Zdrój was known as "Bad Flinsberg" until 1945.

The city at the river Queis has a history of 600 years:

1337

First mentioning of the city of Flinsberg. It is supposed that the first settlement was placed in the upper part of the valley of Queis; the "Oberdorf" (upper cottage) arised.

1550

A guesthouse named „Fegebeutel" is mentioned. Maybe this was placed on the spot, where later the "Kretscham" (a well known guesthouse in Silesia) resided. Around this guesthouse the "Niederdorf" (lower cottage) arose until 17th century. Historical tradition says, the "Fegebeutel" was a discredited place.

1572

The medic Leonhart Thurneysser from Berlin described a mineral spring at Flinsberg, calling it a "holy spring".

1601–1607

The medic and student of nature Gaspar Schwenckfeld (1563-1609) from Greiffenberg called attention to the mineral water and called the spring "Bierbrunnen" (beer spring), supposably because of the colour of the water, which contained much ferric and plenty of carbon dioxide.

1736

The map of the county of Jauer shows the union of the two parts of the city at the valley of Queis. One third of the city reached out from the valley to the downs of "Langer Berg". The "Bierbrunnen" is also marked on this map. All parts of the city associated to the city of Flinsberg.

1738-1739

The medic Weist from Wiegandsthal analysed the spring: this was interesting for the Earl Schaffgotsch. At his suggestion a committee of 5 persons was convened, most of all physicians to study and analyse the spring. The examinations showed the result that the water of the "Bierbrunnen" (mentioned by Schwenckfeld) was particularly suitable for dinking. This was the later "Oberbrunnen" (upper spring).

1742

Construction of the evangelic church at "Niederdorf" (lower cottage).

1754

The "Oberbrunnen" was extended and roofed. A pavilion with the opportunity to drink was built nearby. The first guests arrived in 1755.

1760

225 houses were counted, 20 at the colony "Gross-Iser". The part of the city called "Langer Berg" starts to develop as a health resort / spa.

1768-1795

The first kurhauses are built. The „Alte Kurhaus" (old kurhaus, 1768), the „Neue Kurhaus" (new kurhaus, 1781), the music pavilion and the bathhouse with 12 tubs (1795).

1781

Inauguration of the catholic chappell right in the centre of the health facilities.

1791

198 spa visitors

1811

By a fortunate coincidence a young boy discovered another spring while bathing in the river "Queis". From 1827 on exploitet as "Niederbrunnen (lower spring) at suggestion and effort of Doctor Junge (a spa medicine).

1838-1839

The "Leopoldsbad" was built. Today it ist the centre of rheumatology and rehabilitation.

1866

A bower hallway was built.

1870

Flinsberg gets an post station with a telegraph.

1879

The "Ludwigsbad" was established at the "Unterbrunnen" and directly related to the mineral spring named "Marienquelle".  This was initiated by the spa medicine Dr. Adam and between 1871 and 1918 mud bathing was practised there.

1884

Friedeberg was connected to the state-run railway network.

1885

Flinsberg has 7 springs, two of them with drinking water (the „Oberbrunnen" with 1,500 litres/hour and the „Unterbrunnen" at the river Queis) and five with mineral water for bathing (4 in the range of the city and one at the river Queis).
This year 2,000 guests were registered with upward tendency. The buildings and spa installations built before 1800 are insufficient.

1895-1897

Nearly all buildings around the "Oberbrunnen" were destroyed by a fire.

1898

At may 1st the construction of the kurhaus and a park planned by the architect Grosser from Breslau started.

1899

July 1st inauguration of the restored kurhaus.

1900

Further buildings and a pump room with an orchestra podium, an administrative building and the park were finished,
Due to these capital expenditures Flinsberg developed to one of the leading German spas.
At he same time with the construction of the kurhaus a catholic church was built.
The expenditures for all building projects including real estates, streets, and so on amounted to 2.2 million Reichsmark, a very large amount at that time. All of this was financed by the Earl Friedrich von Schaffgotsch.

1904-1905

To  expand the spa installations the "Marienbad" was built. Here mud baths were installed.
The number of inhabitants increased to 1,900.

1906

Launch of a winter sports club. Flinsberg developed into a winter sport region. A bob-sleigh course and two ski-jumps were built. The area "Groß-Iser" developed into an eldorado for cross-country skiing. The bob-sleigher of Flinsberg won the European championship several times between 1929 and 1939.

1909

By private venture a railway track between Friedeberg and Flinsberg started  at October 10th: Flinsberg was connected to the nationwide railway network.
This year there were 11,000 guests enclosing 5,700 spa visitors.
This year the congress of German health resorts was held in Flinsberg. Dr. Josef Siebelta, a medicine working at Flinsberg from 1860 to 1942 (from 1896 on as spa medicine) was the initiator of this congress.
He was a sponsor and admirer of the Isergebirge (mountains of Iser) and did a substantial bit for Flinsberg coming to be known as a spa.
In 1938 Sibelta was appointed to be citizen of honour.

1913

The water conduit network for the spa district and the "Niederdorf" was built.

 

Instead of the "Kantorschule" (Chanter school) of the evangelic church and the "Mittelschule" (grammar school) a secondary modern school with six classes was opened. The (one-classed) school at the "Oberdorf" and the catholic school near to the "Ludwigsbad" were in use until 1938. The district "Gross-Iser" had its own school. In 1938 a new school was built there.

 

After 13 years of development in health resort business the name of the city was changed to "Bad Flinsberg".
With about 15,000 spa visitors a new record was reached at that time.
During WW I the number of spa visitors decreased by 50%.

1923

During Inflation the development of the city was stopped. Many guesthouse owners were plunged in debt.

1924

A mountain club was launched to sponsor and develop the region.
Since 1880 the was a mountain rambling club at the Sudeten and Iser Mountains registered in Bad Flinsberg owning a hut on the "Heufuderbaude" (meaning "hay cart load mountain hut").

1929

The number of guests incresed again to 18,000, but was decreasing shortly thereafter because of the general depression.

1931

Opening of the swimming pool "Strandbad".The construction was initiated by the Lord Mayor Paul Schmidt. He also gave the "Kustrasse" (spa street) ist look.

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