Sana De Mick 100

The story of Sanatorium De Mick

Somewhere deep in the Kempen forests, in an oasis of peace and greenery, lies the De Mick estate. It was chosen by the Antwerp socialists in 1922 as the site for their sanatorium, a hospital for tuberculosis patients. Around 1900, tuberculosis was a fatal disease that afflicted up to a fifth of the population. Dockworkers at the port of Antwerp were still poor at the time, and consumption wreaked havoc in the small houses where they huddled with their families. In 1922, the Antwerp socialist movement founded the non-profit organization Heropbeuring (Heropbeuring) and raised funds. The monumental De Mick building—or Sana De Mick, as many Antwerp residents remember it—still stands, now expanded with several modern facilities for seniors and people with acquired brain disorders. Follow the remarkable story of a sanatorium, clinic, and care center—a story that is moving, sometimes chilling, but always heartwarming.

This book is also available digitally. Download the PDF (4 MB):

images/pdf/mick/2022-09-01-webshop-mick.pdf

Donald Weber, From Sanatorium to Care Center: History of De Mick, 1922-2022. Amsab-ISG/Heropbeuring, 2022, 68 p.