The Origins of Nazi Genocide: From Euthanasia to the Final Solution

447 Pages·1995·19.01 MB·English

by  Henry Friedlander

The Origins of Nazi Genocide
atftUN» 1.Sept. 1939.
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sind unter Verantwortung beauftraft, die Befug -
nisse nancatlich zu bestlunender Arzte so zu er -
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Adolf Hitler’s authorization for the euthanasia killing operation,
signed in October 1939 but dated 1 September 1939.
The Origins of
Nazi Genocide
FROM EUTHANASIA TO THE FINAL SOLUTION
Henry Friedlander
The University of North Carolina Press Chapel HiU & London
0 1995 Henry Friedlander Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
All rights reserved Friedlander» Henry» 1930-
Manufactured in the The origins of Nazi genocide : from euthanasia to the
United States of America final solution / by Henry Friedlander.
p.cm.
Publication of this book has Includes bibliographical references and index.
been supported by a generous ISBN 0-8078-2208-6 (doth: alk. paper)
grant from the Lucius N. Littauer isbn 0-8078-4675-9 (pbk.: alk. paper)
Foundation. 1. Germany*-Politics and government—1933*1945.
2. National socialism—Moral and ethical aspects.
The paper in this book meets 3. Euthanasia—Political aspects—Germany—History—20th
the guidelines for permanence century. 4. Medical ethics—Germany—History—20th
and durability of the Committee century. 5. Genocide—Germany—History—20th century.
on Production Guidelines for 6. Holocaust» Jewish (1939*1945) 7. World War» 1939*1945—
Book Longevity of the Council Gypsies. 8. Handicapped—Germany—History—20th century.
on Library Resources. 9. World War» 1939*1945—Atrocities. I. Title
DD256.5.F7391995
943.086—dc20 94-40941
C1P
paper 06 05 04 9 8 7
IN MEM ORIAM
Ruth Friedländer née Löwenthal
Brandenburg 1902, Birkenau 1944

CONTENTS
Preface, xi
Acknowledgments, xv
Abbreviations, xix
Note on Language, xxi
1 The Setting, i
2 Excluding the Handicapped, 23
3 Killing Handicapped Children, 39
4 Killing Handicapped Adults, 62
5 The Killing Centers, 86
6 Toward the Killing Pause, 111
7 The Expanded Killing Program, 136
8 The Continued Killing Program, 151
9 The Handicapped Victims, 164
io Managers and Supervisors, 187
il Physicians and Other Killers, 216
12 Excluding Gypsies, 246
13 Killing Handicapped Jews, 263
14 The Find Solution, 284
Notes, 303
Bibliography, 385
Index, 403

TABLES
2.1 Sterilization Applications and Decisions, 1934-1936 / 27
2.2 Sterilization Surgeries, 1934-1936 / 28
2.3 Deaths from Sterilization Surgery for Men and Women, 1934-1936 / 28
2.4 Sterilizations Classified by Disease, 1934/ 29

2.5 Sterilization in State Hospitals and Nursing Homes by Prussian
Province, 1934-1935 /35
2.6 Sterilization in State Hospitals and Nursing Homes in the City of
Berlin, 1934-1935/35
2.7 Sterilization in State Hospitals and Nursing Homes in the Prussian
Province of Brandenburg, 1934-1939 / 36
3.1 Organization of the Chancellery of the Führer / 41
3.2 Organization of KdF Central Office II / 42
3.3 The Reich Ministry of Interior and Its Health Department,
1933 1939/43
-
3.4 The Reich Committee’s Euthanasia Wards for Children / 47
3.5 Chain of Command for the Technical Institute for the Detection of
Crime / 55
4.1 The Reich Ministry of Interior and Its Health Department,
1939-1945/65
4.2 Organization of T4 / 70
4.3 The T4 Fronts {Tarnorganisationen) / 74
5.1 The Euthanasia Killing Centers / 89
5.2 The Euthanasia Killing Center Physicians and Their Pseudonyms /103
5.3 The Euthanasia Killing Centers: Number of Victims, 1940-1941 /109
6.1 Chain of Command for the German Judiciary /118
6.2 German Scientists Involved in Nazi Crimes: The Intellectual
Mentors /124
6.3 German Scientists Involved in Nazi Crimes: The Scientific
Administrators /125
6.4 German Scientists Involved in Nazi Crimes: The Medical Experts /128
6.5 German Scientists Involved in Nazi Crimes: Selected Researchers /133
7.1 Chain of Command for SS and Police in the Occupied Territories /138
7.2 The Concentration Camps Administered by the Inspectorate in
1941/143
10.1 German Civil Service Ranks /192
10.2 Uniformed and Nonuniformed German Police Ranks and Equivalent
Ranks in the SS and the U.S. Army / 202
14.1 The Killing Centers of the Final Solution / 287
x
TABLES