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Duty and 'euthanasia': the nurses of Meseritz-Obrawalde
Susan Benedict1, Arthur Caplan, Traute Lafrenz Page
1Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. benedics@musc.edu
Nursing Ethics
|September 29, 2007
Summary
This study analyzes testimonies of nurses involved in Nazi euthanasia killings. Their stated reasons included relieving suffering and obeying physicians, though rationales may have developed over time.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- History of Medicine
- Nazi Era Studies
Background:
- Examining the role of nurses in the Nazi 'euthanasia' program.
- Focus on the Meseritz-Obrawalde state hospital.
- Investigating the motivations behind participation in patient killings.
Observation:
- 14 nurses' testimonies analyzed.
- Nurses cited perceived patient benefit and physician orders as reasons.
- Significant time elapsed between killings and trial.
Findings:
- Primary stated ethical reasons: relief of suffering, patient benefit from death, physician selection, and obedience.
- Potential for developed rationalizations due to time lapse.
- Legal defenses may have influenced stated justifications.
Implications:
- Understanding the complex ethical landscape of medical professionals during atrocities.
- Highlighting the role of obedience and perceived duty in unethical actions.
- Informing historical and ethical analyses of state-sponsored violence in healthcare settings.
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