Verus Bonifatius Klinik
From Heritage to Modern HealingA HERITAGE OF CARE SINCE 1898
The history of Verus Bonifatius Klinik in Bad Salzschlirf is deeply rooted in over 120 years of vinzentinische (Vincentian) service and compassion. Founded in May 1898 as the Kur- und Gästehaus St. Bonifatius, the institution was originally established to provide rest and healing for priests in need of recovery, as well as care for the sick and local residents. Guided by the charitable spirit of St. Vincent de Paul (1581–1660) and the Barmherzigen Schwestern, the house became a sanctuary of body and soul—a place where faith, healing, and service met.
Throughout its long history, the house evolved with the needs of its time. During both World Wars, it served as a military hospital and later as a kindergarten and household school. In the postwar years, the Bonifatius house regained its reputation as a beloved health retreat and spiritual refuge, welcoming elderly and ailing guests seeking recovery, community, and reflection. The Sisters maintained a warm relationship with the people of Bad Salzschlirf, taking part in parish and social life with dedication and joy.
The motto of St. Vincent — “We are never at the goal, but always on the way” — guided generations of caregivers. Even when the Kur- und Gästehaus St. Bonifatius closed its operations on January 10, 2019, its mission of service and compassion remained alive.
A NEW CHAPTER: THE BIRTH OF VERUS BONIFATIUS KLINIK (Since 2021)
In 2021, this historic house entered a new era. Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Ying Zhang and Dr. Urs Lustenberger, the property was revitalized and transformed into the Verus Bonifatius Klinik, a state-recognized clinic for psychosomatic medicine, psychiatry, and psychotherapy, strategically for families, parents and children, and teens. This marked not only a physical renewal but also a profound continuation of its founding mission — to heal the body, mind, and spirit of those in need.
Anchored in its vinzentinische heritage of compassion and service, Verus Bonifatius Klinik today integrates modern medical science, holistic therapy, and intercultural understanding. The clinic provides individualized, evidence-based treatment for adults, families, parents, and children, uniting traditional values of empathy and human dignity with the latest advances in mental health care.
Illustration of the Bonifatius house in 1898
A PLACE OF HEALING FOR A NEW GENERATION
The modern Verus Bonifatius Klinik stands as one of Germany’s most diverse and culturally inclusive psychosomatic clinics, offering therapy in German, English, and Chinese, among other languages. Patients are treated not only for their symptoms but as whole human beings—mind, body, and soul. Its treatment concept is strategically developed for families, parents and children, and teens, combining adult psychiatry and child/youth psychotherapy within a family-centered therapeutic model.
As part of Verus Care Group, the clinic collaborates closely with the Verus-Klinik I & II and with global academic and clinical partners through the Singularity Academy (Switzerland). Together, these institutions advance research, professional training, and cross-continental exchange in mental health, psychosomatics, and integrative medicine — especially focusing on family wellbeing, parenting psychology, and adolescent mental health.
CARRYING FORWARD THE SPIRIT OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
A photo of the Bonifatius house from 1906
The transformation from the historic Haus St. Bonifatius to today’s Verus Bonifatius Klinik reflects a journey of continuity and renewal. The same compassion that moved St. Vincent de Paul to care for the poor and suffering continues to inspire the clinic’s mission: to heal with dignity, restore balance, and promote the wellbeing of every person — from parents to children, across generations.
More than a clinic, Verus Bonifatius is a living bridge between past and future, between faith and science, and between cultures and generations.
In the spirit of St. Vincent, “We are never at the goal, but always on the way.”