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The holocaust of the disabled
Massimo Fioranelli1, Maria Grazia Roccia1, Miriam Rovesti2
1University of Rome "G.Marconi", Rome, Italy.
Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)
|June 4, 2017
Summary
The Holocaust also targeted disabled individuals, who were systematically exterminated by the Nazi regime alongside European Jews. This historical oversight demands attention to ensure these atrocities are remembered and our understanding of
Area of Science:
- Historical Genocide Studies
- Disability History
- Nazi Eugenics
Background:
- The Holocaust, primarily recognized as the genocide of European Jews by the Nazi regime, involved the systematic murder of approximately six million Jews.
- Nazi ideology promoted a vision of a "pure Aryan race," deeming individuals with disabilities as "inferior" and "weak."
Observation:
- Concurrent with the genocide of Jewish people, the Nazi regime perpetrated a systematic extermination of disabled individuals.
- This targeted killing of disabled people, often termed the "disabled Holocaust" or "T14," was driven by eugenics policies.
Findings:
- The Nazi regime implemented the T4 Euthanasia Program, which led to the forced sterilization and murder of hundreds of thousands of disabled people.
- Victims included individuals with physical, intellectual, and psychiatric disabilities, deemed unfit for the idealized Aryan society.
Implications:
- Recognizing the Holocaust of the disabled is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of Nazi atrocities and the history of eugenics.
- Re-evaluating societal concepts of "normality" and "disability" is essential to prevent future discrimination and persecution.
- Honoring the memory of disabled victims is vital for disability rights advocacy and inclusive historical narratives.
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