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In July
1933, the "Law for the Prevention of Genetically Diseased
Offspring," which had been initiated by Interior Minister
Wilhelm Frick, was put into effect. This law required the forced
sterilization of German citizens with congenital disabilities such
as "feeblemindedness," schizophrenia, manic depression,
epilepsy, and more. The sterilizations were performed by doctors
throughout the Reich.
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Anyone
who has a hereditary illness can be rendered sterile by a
surgical operation, if according to the experience of medical
science, there is a strong probability that his/her progeny will
suffer from serious hereditary defects of a physical or mental
nature.
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Anyone
is hereditarily ill within the meaning of the law who suffers
from one of the following illnesses:
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Congenital
feeblemindedness
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Schizophrenia
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Manic
depression
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Hereditary
epilepsy
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Huntington’s
chorea
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Hereditary
blindness
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Hereditary
deafness
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Serious
physical deformities
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In
addition, anyone who suffers from chronic alcoholism can be
sterilized.
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Proceedings
before the Hereditary Health Courts are not public.
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If the
court finally decides upon sterilization, the operation must be
performed even if it is against the wishes of the person to be
sterilized, unless that person was solely responsible for the
application.
The medical
officer is responsible for requesting the necessary measures to be
taken by the police authorities. Insofar as other measures prove
insufficient, the use of force is permissible."
It is
estimated that between 200,000 to 350,000 individuals were
sterilized between 1933 and 1945. |
