görbersdorf didn't differentiate from neighbouring villages until it was visited in 1849 by countess maria von colomb, a niece of prussian general gebhard leberecht von blücher. the countess, delighted by the scenery, persuaded her brother-in-law hermann brehmer to establish a health resort for consumptive patients. in 1854 she and brehmer opened the world's first sanatorium for the treatment of tuberculosis at görbersdorf. the care included the priessnitz method of hydrotherapy and also a precursory method of climatic-dietetic treatment was applied. the treatment of consumption practised by alexander spengler at davos, perpetuated by thomas mann's novel "the magic mountain", was modelled after görbersdorf, which at times was called the "silesian davos", although it should be called davos "swiss görbersdorf". the resort was relatively expensive, but well organised, and before 1888 it had both a post office and phone lines. at the same time the quantity of 730 curates well exceeded the number of inhabitants. several further sanatoriums were established in the following years and until world war i, görbersdorf had become popular with guests from all over europe, who had numerous mansions and even a russian orthodox chapel erected. at the beginning of the 20th century scandinavian guests introduced snow skiing and a ski jumping hill was opened in 1930.