Following a targeted attack on the electrical grid by extremist groups on Saturday, January 3, 2026, Waldfriede Hospital successfully maintained full clinical operations despite a widespread power outage affecting southwestern Berlin. The incident, which disrupted power to approximately 45,000 households and 2,000 businesses, served as a critical test of the institution’s emergency preparedness and infrastructure.
The hospital’s internal emergency power systems activated immediately upon the grid failure, ensuring that the primary facility in Berlin-Zehlendorf remained fully functional throughout the duration of the blackout. While the Waldfriede network’s day clinic in Nikolassee lacks independent generation capabilities, the hospital’s contingency plans allowed for the seamless transfer and admission of those patients to the main hospital site. This transition ensured that all scheduled surgeries and medical procedures were completed as planned, with no patients discharged prematurely or diverted due to the external infrastructure failure. Furthermore, the onsite Adventist Church, which has been a fixture of the campus for over a century, was able to maintain its scheduled services via the emergency circuit.
The stabilization of hospital processes was overseen by Managing Director Bernd Quoß and his senior administrative team. Throughout the multi-day crisis, hospital leadership operated in continuous coordination with the Berlin state government’s crisis management unit and relevant municipal authorities to ensure resource longevity and synchronized safety protocols. CEO Bernd Quoß attributed the success of the mission to both rigorous planning and spiritual resilience, noting that the strength provided during the crisis allowed the hospital to overcome significant logistical hurdles while maintaining a high standard of care.
As of Wednesday afternoon, municipal authorities confirmed that major repairs to the grid have been completed. Waldfriede Hospital, along with the affected residential and commercial sectors, has since been transitioned back to the standard power supply. The hospital administration has expressed gratitude for the successful resolution of the event and the continued safety of its patient population during this challenging period.
About Waldfriede Hospital
The non-profit hospital, operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, treats around 15,000 inpatients and 120,000 outpatients each year. It forms the core of the Waldfriede Health Network, the most comprehensive provider of medical and nursing services in southwest Berlin.
The network includes a day clinic, the Nikolassee Private Clinic, the Desert Flower Center for victims of female genital mutilation, PrimaVita Health Center, a social services center, an academy for nursing and healthcare professions, and an in-house service company with approximately 950 employees.
Waldfriede is a member of the Diaconal Association of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia, the German Protestant Hospital Association (DEKV), and a clinical partner of the AdventHealth network based in the United States.
