Are there "unwanted baby boxes" in Germany?
Are there "unwanted baby boxes" in Germany?
Some users on social media shared photos claiming that there are boxes where unwanted babies are left in Germany.
The claim is true. On the contrary, a search with images and keywords reveals that in some European countries, including Germany, there are boxes in hospitals for unwanted babies.
Baby boxes are the place where women who give birth in secret, hide their pregnancies, give birth without medical assistance or control, go when they want to give up their child. It is known that the oldest examples of this still exist today in the Italian Hospital Santo Spirito. In Hamburg, Germany, these boxes were installed in 1709 but were removed again in 1714. The first modern baby boxes were reintroduced in Germany in 2000. In the so-called "Babyklappe" system, which is placed on the outer wall of hospitals, the baby is placed in a compartment with an oven-like lid. Some time after the box is closed, the alarm inside starts to sound, alerting the hospital staff. Within 2-3 minutes, the baby is picked up by the staff from the hospital side of the compartment.
There is also a form inside the box where the baby's name can be entered. The person dropping off the baby can write personal information on this form. This information is stored and the child can apply for the mother's information 16 years later.
On the other hand, in Germany, since May 1, 2014, it has been possible to give birth legally without identifying oneself, i.e. anonymously.
In Germany, a guide on how to use the application has been prepared and contact lines have been set up for mothers who want to give birth and leave their babies anonymously.
Fact-checking has shown that there are baby boxes in Germany where unwanted babies are left to be cared for by the state.
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