[25 years Heidelberg Rehabilitation Center for Spinal Cord Injuries--retrospect and prospects]

In the framework of a commemorative gathering and scientific symposium in November 1991, an account was given of the 25 years of service of the Rehabilitation Centre for Spinal Cord Injured Persons of the Heidelberg Orthopaedic University Hospital Foundation. Tribute was at the same time paid to the lifework of Kurt Lindemann, former director of the Orthopaedical University Hospital and rector magnificus of the Heidelberg Ruperto Carola University, in memory of the 25th anniversary of his death in 1966. Encouraged by the father of SCI rehabilitation Sir Ludwig Guttmann, of Stoke Mandevillehospital, England, Kurt Lindemann had taken the initiative for establishing this centre and prepared its opening in 1966. Comprising a clinical department, the Ludwig Guttmann House, and a department for vocational-social rehabilitation, the Kurt Lindemann House, the centre has since enabled provision of all measures required for comprehensive rehabilitation of spinal cord injured women, men and children--starting at the day of injury till full resettlement of this population in family, occupation, and society. Erected a quarter century ago, the centre has in the last two years been brought up to date architecturally and structurally; further measures for implementing the most recent state of the art in rehabilitating spinal cord injured patients lie ahead.