english - Hirsch Apotheke Wismar

The Hirsch-Apotheke - a name derived from the deer, a symbol of power and skillfulness - opened on the 1st January 1845 as Wismar's third pharmacy. The nearby Rats-Apotheke (Rat in German means city council) was at that point already 400 years old and the former Löwen (lions)-Apotheke in Krämerstraße 200 years old.

The foundations were laid in the 15th century, possibly even before. In 1517 the owner was recorded to be a certain Hans Schulte. The entrance with its rope-ornament was built sometime in the 16th century. A scientific investigation has revealed that the oak timber used for the roof truss was felled in the winter of 1566/67 near the river Vistula in Poland.

The front of the building dates to the 18th or early 19th century.

The pharmacist C. F. Framm, himself the son of a pharmacist from Bad Doberan near Rostock, bought the house from the heirs of the clockmaker Schütz.  

Framm renovated the building, the so-called Kemladen and the rear house, in accordance with his pharmaceutical purposes. The interior of the public part of the pharmacy, named Offizin, is almost the same now as it was designed by its creator. Today regulations regarding preservation prevent us from further alterations.

In her novel Dr. Edith Framm describes the life and times of C. F. Framm and his family, and the novel is available inside (8,90 €).

The Hirsch-Apotheke is a family business; indeed, it has remained in the hands of the same family from its establishment in 1845 until the present day.

Portraits of former pharmacists and their wives can be seen on the righthand wall opposite the counter.

Documents and pharmaceutical tools dating back to the early days of the pharmacy can be seen in the glass case. There is also a collection of old prescriptions dating from 1864 on show which were found during renovation work in 2008.

It was here in 1981 that the first patient-consultation room of its kind in the former GDR was established. In 1994 a federal law came into effect, guaranteeing the confidentiality of pharmacists' counseling.

Since 1990 both the building and the pharmacy have been carefully  restored and improved. Motivated by the public interest of tourists and residents of the town, we have devoted much attention to the historically valuable parts of the building.

The safe and effective use of medication is of particular importance to us. We are happy to consult you about the workings and effects of your prescribed drugs and inform you about possible side-effects. Furthermore we take precautions with regard to drug interactions and will inform you on how you can support your doctor's chosen therapy for your condition.

The aim of our counseling is to contribute to our patient's understanding of the enormous possibilities modern drug therapy provide. Modern drug therapy strives to both stabilize and improve your quality of life!

Similarly, we are eager in our consultations with our customers in the field of self-medication to guarantee the safe usage of medicines. We recommend neither drugs that have no scientific basis nor are overly expensive, and seek to highlight false advertising in the media.

To this day we still prepare – albeit in small amounts – medications in our laboratory; primarily ointments, but also capsules, solutions and syrups.

The Hirsch-Apotheke enjoys a good tradition – one we sincerely hope to continue into the future.

Dr. Johann J. Framm und Almut Framm

Fachapotheker für Allgemeinpharmazie

Am Markt 29   23966 Wismar Tel. 03841-282159 oder 0162-7100385

www.hirsch-apotheke-wismar.de email: info@hirsch-apotheke-wismar.de