For the medical student cramming for the Hammerexamen (the German medical licensing exam), it offers a quiet place to memorize pharmacology. For the historian, it offers a direct link to Virchow’s own hand. For the curious traveler, it offers a glimpse into Berlin’s scientific soul.
Virchow was a pioneer of social medicine. The library contains crucial documents regarding his fight for clean water, improved sewage systems, and better nutrition for the working class in Berlin. A Sanctuary for Researchers
The Virchow Bibliothek at Campus Virchow-Klinikum serves as a key medical information hub for Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, providing access to specialized literature and digital resources. Named after the "Father of Modern Pathology" Rudolf Virchow, the facility supports research and education in cellular pathology, social medicine, and anthropology. For more details on the library, visit Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin Spotlights: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin 13 Feb 2026 —
The Virchow Bibliothek offers a range of services to support researchers, students, and book enthusiasts. These include: virchow bibliothek
Advanced search tools are available to help researchers and students optimize their research processes. 3. Opening Hours and Accessibility
The library offers extensive physical infrastructure designed to support thousands of medical students, healthcare professionals, and academic researchers.
Visitors should note that due to the sensitive nature of the hospital environment, security checks are standard, but the library itself welcomes academic visitors with proper ID. For the medical student cramming for the Hammerexamen
, categorized into journals (628), books (3,245), dissertations (3,348), and reprints (5,468). Significance
: Due to the air raids on Berlin, the collection was moved to Schloss Boitzenburg in Brandenburg for safety. Disappearance
: Books in the collection are instantly recognizable by their custom-designed bookplates ( ex-libris ). The plate features an open book inscribed with Virchow’s life-defining scientific motto: "omnis cellula a cellula" (every cell arises from a cell). Virchow was a pioneer of social medicine
: Books belonging to the core Virchow collection are universally recognized by a distinct, custom-designed bookplate ( Exlibris ). The artwork features a framed cross, an open book displaying his famous maxim omnis cellula a cellula , oak and laurel branches, and a rising sun flanked by his lifespan dates.
: The official blueprint of the library as it stands today was formalised by the Berlin University Medicine Act. This legislation consolidated all remaining medical libraries—the Central Library of Charité Mitte, the Virchow-Klinikum Library, the Benjamin Franklin Library, and the specialized Dental Medicine library—into one centralized service.
Following the war, eyewitnesses reported seeing the collection loaded onto Soviet military trucks.
The (Medical Library of the Charité) on the Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) in Berlin is a cornerstone of medical education, research, and clinical practice within one of Europe's largest university hospitals. Situated in the Wedding district, this library is often referred to as the "Virchow Bibliothek" by students and staff, serving as a hub of academic resources dedicated to the legacy of Rudolf Virchow, the founder of modern cellular pathology.