Cave Hospital and bunker under Castle Hill

Budapest’s secret nuclear bunker and hospital opened two weeks ago, providing both an insight into the history of military hospitals and some of the secrets of the Communist regime. It is the guided tour, which offers a wealth of anecdotes relating to every room, rather than the exhibits, which makes a visit worthwhile.

The secret rooms in the caves under Castle Hill have witnessed a lot. For centuries they served as simple wine cellars, then during the time of the Turkish occupation they were used to hide treasure and women from the harem. During the Second World War and the 1956 Uprising, the János Hospital took care of wounded soldiers here. In the ‘60s the hospital was converted into a nuclear bunker, and served as a hospital in name only. When the burden of secrecy was finally removed in 2004, the Krétakör theatre company moved in for rehearsals and performances.

Blood, sweat and urine

The decision to set up a military hospital in the caves was made in 1938. The construction work took five years, which meant that the János Hospital was only able to move there in 1944 – just in time to be able to care for Hungarian troops wounded in fighting with the Red Army.

Although it was built to care for just 300 patients, in the last desperate days of the war as many as 600 were squeezed into the Rock Hospital. In the narrow passages you can get some idea of how oppressive the atmosphere must have been underground, without any water or fresh air, and with the constant stench of blood, sweat, and urine. These were the conditions under which the staff of the János Hospital had to look after patients: there were around 40 doctors and nurses working in shifts, and later young women seeking protection from the notorious appetites of Soviet soldiers. The German units who were quartered in the Castle at the time had their own hospital. The Soviets discovered it and burnt it down, and no traces of it remain. The Rock Hospital, however, remained in place. It was next used in 1956 when András Snétberger, a doctor, attended to wounded revolutionaries there. Following the bloody defeat of the Uprising, it then served as a prison hospital.
Flowerbed used as camouflage

In the ‘60s the equipment was modernised and preparations were made for a possible nuclear or chemical attack. The rooms were reconstructed, and secure supplies of water, electricity, oil and air provided. The oil tanks were refilled using underground pipes which emerged in a flowerbed used as camouflage. While the flowers were watered, the hidden exit was opened and the oil could flow.

Of course, the hospital beds couldn’t be allowed to rust and the bed linen to get mouldy. The state therefore employed caretaker families to maintain the equipment. They were of course observed by another family in their secret work. The caretaker’s wife cleaned twice a week, made the beds and put out fresh towels – as though she was expecting the first patients any minute.

The doctors had to appear regularly for drills but they didn’t have to treat anyone. That is probably the reason why all the equipment is in perfect condition despite being almost 50 years old. It is all functional, although most was never actually used. The guide mentions just two exceptions: “When the Cave Hospital was a hospital in name only, the caretaker got his finger jammed in the heavy door. A doctor from the János Hospital had to be called, of course in absolute secrecy and under cover of darkness. The mobile X-ray machine was used then for the first and last time.” The anaesthetic equipment was used during the Budapest filming of the Oscar-winning Hollywood musical Evita.

The Cave Hospital only opened two weeks ago, and even on weekdays it already attracts some 20 to 30 visitors wanting to hear the stories. The organisers are well prepared for tourists: a guide is immediately found for both the English-speaking and German-speaking visitors. According to the website, guided tours are also possible by prior arrangement in French, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Finnish, Swedish, Czech, Slovak and Romanian.

www.budapesttimes.hu - Thursday, March 27, 2008