Euthanasia - the "mercy killing" of people "not worth living" became a murderous program in Nazi Germany. This campaign is believed to have resulted in the killing of approximately 200,000 people. Evidence from the
Nuremburg trials estimated that even 275,000 people were murdered.
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| Order from 18 August 1939 |
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| 1 September 1939 |
According to the decree from
18 August 1939, the Nazis enacted the obligatory registration of all births of physically and mentally handicapped children. These children up to three years had to be reported to the public health offices. The selected children were sent to several mental homes where they were killed by lethal drugs or withdrawal of food.
Up to 8,000 children lost their lives in course of this "children euthanasia". On the basis of
Hitler's order from
October 1939 the program was
extended on adults. This order was backdated on
1 September 1939, day of the German attack on Poland. The beginning of WW2 diverted the population from the euthanasia programme. The Nazis could get rid of "useless eaters" to save money and personnel, and get more free beds in hospitals.
In course of the occupation of Poland mobile gas chambers were used for the killing of mental homes inmates there.
Already in
1924/25 Hitler wrote "
if there is no more power to fight for the own health, the right to live comes to an end." (
Hitler, Adolf.
Mein Kampf, p.282). The benefit of eliminating approximately 70,000 handicapped persons was mentioned by
Hitler on the NSDAP party conference in
1929.
