History

At the end of the 19th century tuberculosis (TB) was the 2nd leading cause of death in Germany with a mortality rate of 249 per 100.000 persons alive in 1895. In the same year, the DZK was founded as „German Central Committee for the Establishment of Sanatoria for Patients with Lung Diseases“. Its mission was the establishment of a central tuberculosis organization to support local initiatives within national TB-control strategies. Prominent supporters at that time were the Imperial Chancellor as honorary president, the Minister of the Interior as president and the special patronage of the Empress Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria.

Main tasks at that time were the support of the sanatoria movement with organizational and logistic support, education and information of the public about TB, economic and hygienic aid for TB patients and promotion of science and research.

In 1899 the “International Central Bureau“, the predecessor of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) was founded by the DZK. In 1902 the first international tuberculosis Congress was held in Berlin and 1906 Robert Koch joined the Committee.

Sie suchen geschichtliche Informationen zur Tuberkuloseerkrankung?
Das Deutsche Tuberkulose-Archiv Heidelberg