From their earliest days of power, beginning in 1933, the Nazis began to target minority groups like the mentally and physically disabled. Unable to fully provide and defend for themselves, the group which arguably needs the most support and protection from society, was murdered and robbed of their unalienable human rights.
In 1933, the "Law for the Prevention of Genetically Diseased Offspring" and the "Law Against Dangerous Habitual Criminals" were introduced and enacted. These laws forced eugenics (sterilization) of an estimated 200,000 to 350,000 individuals by 1939 and made the definition and characterization of mental illness fuzzier.
Early forms of euthanasia included, the killings of deformed newborns by Karl Brandt, Philip Bouhler and Viktor Brack. By the summer of 1939, the 'Reich Committee for the Scientific Registering of Serious Hereditary and Congenital Illnesses' was established and all practitioners and midwives were required to report every case of "deformed" newborns.
In October of 1939, the slaughter of children expanded to the murder of adults. Killings took place in mobile killing buses, gas chambers and even shootings. The justification for these killings were to provide "mercy" for "life unworthy of life".
This is a typical Nazi propaganda poster. The photo shows a mentally of physically disabled child being held up by, what is assumed, their caretaker. This paints the image that they are a burden, not only to those who must care for them but for, German society as a whole.
A group of mentally or physically disabled children awaiting to hear the verdict of their eugenics case at a German courthouse.
Hadamar, one of the eugenic killing centers.
One of the mobile killing buses. The victims were driven around the countryside and gassed to death.
This is the last child murdered through euthanasia at the Kaufbeuren-Irsee euthanasia center.
For a more detailed look into Nazi Euthanasia, I recommend:
Note: Thank you to the Holocaust Research Project for providing content for this article.
