Ludwigsbad

The former spa hotel Ludwigsbad in Bad Aibling was Bavaria’s first peat pulp spa and the world’s first saline peat pulp health resort. Its origins date back to a "Soolen- und Moorschlamm-Badeanstalt" founded by the royal Bavarian court physician Desiderius Beck in 1845.

The Ludwigsbad in the 19th century (wood engraving after Max Kuhn, about 1870)

History

19th Century

In 1845 Desiderius Beck established the institution in the Rosengasse in Bad Aibling. In the beginning, it was a single-storey public bath, which was gradually expanded. Ab initio, it was dedicated to balneotherapy,

In the middle of the 19th century, the spa was the centre of Bad Aibling's health resort business. Despite this, it got into economic difficulties, which were solved when the spa was taken over by the entrepreneur Karl von Berüff.[1] While the spa business was maintained an additional focus was set on the operation as a grand hotel. In 1871 the hotel received the name Ludwigsbad in honour of King Ludwig II of Bavaria.

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  External view of the Ludwigsbad ca. 1900
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  Dining room about 1900

20th Century

After the owner's family had contracted debts and made default in payments, the Ludwigsbad had to be put up for compulsory sale in 1902.[2] The entrepreneur and financier Ludwig Meggendorfer acquired the long-standing estate.[1] Extensive reconstruction introduced a then very advanced equipment including a steam heating system, electrical light baths, hydro-electric baths and shower rooms.[2] Under the control of the engineer von Hößle a modern spa house was erected, which featured an automatic peat pulp conditioning plant. This installation according to the "Meggendorfer-System" was able to optimise both the consistency of the mud and to disinfect it.[2]

The following decades before world war I saw the house flourishing. However, it had to be sold in the economically difficult times of the 1920s. Up to 1936, it was in the possession of the city of Bad Aibling, which then sold it to the Antretter family. Under their direction, a new boom could be achieved, which continued to the first decades after the end of world war II.

In the end of the 20th century, the Ludwigsbad had to cease operations due to economic difficulties resulting from a demise in health spa business.

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  External view, ca. 1905
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  Total view of the Ludwigsbad installations, ca. 1918
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  Memorial plaque for Dr. Desiderius Beck at the former hotel's northern wall
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  Memorial plaque for Ludwig Meggendorfer

21st Century

On March 17, 2007 two adolescents set the vacant buildings on fire, which lead to severe damage of the historic edifices. In 2011 all buildings were completely torn down.

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  The dismantled spa hotel Ludwigsbad before the arson (Summer 2006)

References

1. "Zur Gründungszeit eine Weltneuheit". Oberbayerisches Volksblatt. 24. September 2011. https://www.ovb-online.de/rosenheim/bad-aibling/gruendungszeit-eine-weltneuheit-1418813.html (in German)
2. Manfred Schaulies (2018): Familie Meggendorfer – Geschichte einer Kaufmannsfamilie. Der Mangfallgau 22: 64–195 (in German)

External links

• Article on the Ludwigsbad in the official history of the city of Bad Aibling (in German)