His Royal Highness Mr. George Friedrich, Prince of Prussia visited the Bikur Cholim Hospital thus renewing the relationship between the Prussian Royal Family and the Hospital, a relationship begun by the Prince's great great grandfather, Kaiser Wilhelm II in the year 1898.

The Prince of Prussia is the great great grandson of the Prussian Kaiser, (Prussia was once part of Germany). Kaiser Wilhelm II ruled over Prussia between the years 1888-1918. In 1898 when visiting Jerusalem the Kaiser contributed a substantial sum of money and thus provided the means to purchase plots of land for the Bikur Cholim Hospital both in the Old City and the city center, where the hospital stands till today.

Recently the connection between the Royal Family and the hospital was renewed and the talks between the parties led to the Prince's visit to the hospital last week. At a Gala Dinner held in his honor the Prince announced the reestablishment of the relationship between the Royal Family and the hospital.

The Prince came to the hospital from Jaffa Gate in a carriage drawn by a white horse, thus repeating the historic visit of his great great grandfather 110 years ago. The Prince toured the various departments and was impressed by the high medical standard and the wave of building and renovations sweeping through the hospital. The Prince was briefed by Motti Bodek the hospital architect about the Ziv building, the hospital's historical building which is almost an exact copy of public buildings in southern Germany at the end of the 19th century.

During his visit in Jerusalem the Prince met the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yonah Metzger, and Member and Speaker of the Knesset Dalia Itzik. The Prince visited Yad VeShem and other historic places in the capital.

The hospital hopes that the renewal of the relationship will assist in the raising of funds and encourage a mutual cooperation between medical institutions in Germany and Bikur Cholim Hospital.

For more details" Shimon Malka Hospital Spokesman: 054-6718228