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HIST3025 Hitler and the National Socialist Ideology

HIST3025 Hitler and the National Socialist Ideology. Lecture 9: Eugenic s 25 April 2013. Eugenics. Social philosophy / applied science of Francis Galton (1822-1911), cousin of Charles Darwin: Aim : Improvement of human hereditary traits by applying theory of evolution to humans

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HIST3025 Hitler and the National Socialist Ideology

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  1. HIST3025Hitler and the National Socialist Ideology Lecture 9: Eugenics 25April 2013

  2. Eugenics • Social philosophy / applied science of Francis Galton (1822-1911), cousin of Charles Darwin: • Aim: Improvement of human hereditary traits by applying theory of evolution to humans • Means: • Promotion of higher reproduction of more desired people & traits • Reducing reproduction of less desired people & traits

  3. Eugenics in practice, c. 1900-45 • Genetic screening • Birth control • Promoting differential birth rates • Marriage restrictions • Racial segregation • Segregation of mentally ill from other people • Compulsory sterilisation • Forced pregnancies & abortions • Genocide

  4. Eugenics in Mein Kampf • Seemingly traditional-conservative visions of family  Some overlaps with German conservatism  Completely incompatible with Christian theology: •  Conception & birth as God-given gifts •  Equal sanctity of all human life incl. handicapped or ill people •  Equal value of all humanity before God

  5. Hitler’s main eugenic idea • Rejected liberal idea of family & children as only private fulfilment (= egoism) • Saw family & children as property of race • Healthy people obliged to produce large families for needs of race • State with absolute right & central role to promote reproductive behaviour = Totalitarian idea of regulating reproduction patterns of all its individual citizens

  6. State’s role in Hitler’s eugenics • Key role for propaganda & educational work • Active agent for social & racial engineering • Positive eugenics = pro-natalistpolicy: → Practical medical & welfare measures • Negative eugenics = anti-natalist policy: → Sterilisation & other cleansing measures

  7. Hitler’s eugenicist vision • Building a modern racist state • Regenerating the race • Using state’s medical & administrative measures to forcibly intervene in people’s reproductive lives • Integrating racially ‘valuable’ in ‘people’s community’ • Sterilizing/eradicating racially ‘inferior’ = Totalitarian, radical, aggressive Fascist thoughts

  8. Eugenics in Third Reich (1) • Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring (Jul 1933): → Formalised state’s right to forcibly sterilise any allegedly hereditary ill person = Anti-natalist campaign: Massive program of forced sterilisation of ca. 350,000 women & men = Pro-natalist campaign: Measure to persuade ‘suitable’ families to have more children

  9. Eugenics in Third Reich (2) Euthanasia program (‘good death’): • Neglect of physically & mentally ill children and adults in German hospitals & asylums • Widespread practice of ‘mercy killing’ • State-sanctioned policy of mass murder = 70,000 victims • Paved way for Holocaust by lowering moral standards

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