Evening journal., 1915-05-27
BECOMES
CITY OF HOSPITALS
Wounded Fill Schools Of
Former Mecca For
Tourists
TROLLEYS CARRY
WOUNDED SOLDIERS

FREIBURG, Baden, May 27.-Few
towns in Germany have changed as
materially and noticeably on account
of the war as Freiburg, one-time
Mecca of American tourists bent on
visiting the beautiful Black Forest.
From a quiet, peaceful little city,
well equipped with schools, il has
become a city of hospitals. to which
scores of the wounded are brought
daily from the west front, especially
from nearby Alsace. The Red Cross
flag floats over scores of buildings
that once were educational institu-
tions, theaters and amusement re-
sorts
Children now go to the famous Uni
versity of Freiburg for their lessons
because their own school buildings
now are used to house the wounded
German and French soldiers. Fully a
dozen school buildings have been
requisitioned for hospital work, all of
them being administered by the Ger
man Red Cross in cOntradistinction
to the regular hospitals of the city. In
addition, every available amusement
hall and theater is serving the same
purpose. In the auditorium, the gal
lery and even on the stage of the ia
nous old Festhalle soldiers now lie.
or. cOnvalescing, stroll in the adiOin-
ing garden that formerly was filled,
nightly at least, with devotees of
Bacchus.
The Red Cross workers in Freiburg
are proud and justly. of what they
have accomplished. for the present
quarters for wounded soldiers we're
set up and ready four days after the
war began, before mobilization even
was complete.
The Turko-Italian War. one Red
Cross matron explained, taught the
German Red Cross that il must be
ready for emergencies. Consequently
there was on hand a vast number Of
painted iron beds, bed lines.
blankets, strechers and supplies of all
kinds.
When the war started everyone in
Freiburg turned TO and helped The
scholars in the high schools in one day
succeeded in getting their benches and
seats out of the way and in storage In
another "a hours they had cleaned the
old buildings from cellar to garret, and
on the third day had carried in the hos
pital apparatus. Il needed only one ad.
ditional day to put everything in order
and stand by for the first consignment
of wounded.
For nine months the fighting has never
been very remote from Freiburg, and il
has consequently been a constant hos.
pital center. Street cars run into Alsacc
gather up loads of wounded and bring
them back The official report of 4
great battle, even though it spells vie.
tory for the German arms, is almost N.
Nariably the precursor of big batch OF
wounded soldiers, often German, though
sometimes French or English
The chemical laboratories in the higl
schools of "gymnasia' have been found
readily adaptable for operating rooms
Most of them have water facilities
which are invaluable, and most of then
are light and dry.
The ordinary recitation rooms are use,
for the most part for the soldiers. anc
the smaller rooms. one-timc offices of in
structors, are available for officers. Al
most the only important changes that
have been necessary have been the in
stalation of bathrooms
Freiburg follows the example of I.u
beck and other German cities in giyin,
I its soldiers a good opportunity To Sc,
the town before leaving, either for th'
front again or for home Parties o