Reading a book in German about Aktion T4, about the disabled children who were the first victims of the Holocaust.
Horrifying that they were in religious, including Catholic institutions and sent to their deaths from there.
Here are some of the details.
Horrifying that they were in religious, including Catholic institutions and sent to their deaths from there.
Here are some of the details.
2/ 'In the files of the Ansbach expert childcare unit, the nurses noted brief characteristics of the children who were later killed.
They were forced to die because the ward doctor Asam-Bruckmüller stated: "It is not to be expected that he/she will become a capable compatriot."'
They were forced to die because the ward doctor Asam-Bruckmüller stated: "It is not to be expected that he/she will become a capable compatriot."'
3/ Irmgard Dörr was born in 1924 as an illegitimate child, was placed in the care of several families, from which her grandmother or mother occasionally picked her up, and according to the Youth Welfare Office she was always "brutally mistreated".
A German wartime foster system.
A German wartime foster system.
4/ The town doctor of Küstrin wrote about Irmgard in 1932: 'She is extremely fearful and intimidated, screams when one tries to get close to her. She bends over as if she were being hit. And in the meantime she always repeats the same question: “Are you angry?”
5/ Irmgard arrived at the institution in 1934. She received no visitors. At fourteen she was considered a “fearful girl, physically asthenic, weak intellect, with difficulty concentrating, easily irritable.”
6/ Psychologists attributed her cognitive age to 5.6 years; four years later, doctors subjected the girl to forced sterilisation at the hospital in Berlin-
Neukölln.
Neukölln.
7/ At the end of 1939, director Heinze dictated the following diagnosis in the questionnaire for Aktion T4: “Childhood psychosis (irritation, states of excitement, negativism, blockages) and congenital deficiency.”
8/ Friedrich Seyfried was born on August 20, 1922, was profoundly Deaf and lived in the Catholic nursing home in Ursberg from 1935.
On March 25, 1941, Gekrat's staff deported him to the state hospital in Eglfing-Haar near Munich.
On March 25, 1941, Gekrat's staff deported him to the state hospital in Eglfing-Haar near Munich.
9/ From there, on June 20, 1941, he was sent to the gas chamber in Hartheim. In the following letter, written in good German on May 25, 1941, Friedrich Seyfried mentions his companion Josef Sporrer, who also
came from Ursberg and who also died on the same day, in the same place.
came from Ursberg and who also died on the same day, in the same place.
10/ Dear Head Nurse ML
[…] I have a bad life in Eglfing and Sporrer complains all the time that he is ill and that the bad smell, dust and smoke from the basket weaving are to blame, and that is why he wants to stop weaving basket weaving altogether.
[…] I have a bad life in Eglfing and Sporrer complains all the time that he is ill and that the bad smell, dust and smoke from the basket weaving are to blame, and that is why he wants to stop weaving basket weaving altogether.
11/ I too no longer show any pleasure in my work and would just like to be back in Ursberg. Unfortunately I cannot communicate any other news. How long
will it be before I can return to Ursberg? If you have any news, dear Sister L., write to me immediately.
will it be before I can return to Ursberg? If you have any news, dear Sister L., write to me immediately.
12/ I am not happy in this institution and I really do not
want to stay here any longer. – Well, my letter is almost over, after having communicated some news to you.
want to stay here any longer. – Well, my letter is almost over, after having communicated some news to you.
13/ I conclude with the request to write to me soon and to help me by asking that I be immediately discharged from this institute and that I be sent back to Ursberg. Now I greet you and wish you a Pentecost full of grace and especially much happiness and luck for your name day,
14/ your dear student Fritz Seyfried.'
The letters are awful.
Adolf N, born on January 12, 1931, had motor disorders and delayed mental development following meningitis. He went to the toilet by himself, washed himself, knew how to dress, but not how to put on shoes.
The letters are awful.
Adolf N, born on January 12, 1931, had motor disorders and delayed mental development following meningitis. He went to the toilet by himself, washed himself, knew how to dress, but not how to put on shoes.
15/ In the ward of the research department in Heidelberg he helped to wrap washed bandages and easily passed simple tests.
When the psychologist, during a test, urged him to tear a piece of paper along a folded edge, Adolf replied: "No, that's a shame. You can paint with it."
When the psychologist, during a test, urged him to tear a piece of paper along a folded edge, Adolf replied: "No, that's a shame. You can paint with it."
16/ 'Sometimes Adolf withdraws into himself and cries softly, when asked why he cries, he replies: 'I'm homesick.' He speaks very badly and sometimes it takes a long time before he gets a word out.'
17/ Adolf N. was examined in the research department in Heidelberg for seven weeks and then transferred to the death hospital in Eichberg, where he was killed on September 8, 1944.
His father wrote a letter to the Heidelberg clinic, asking about his son's death.
His father wrote a letter to the Heidelberg clinic, asking about his son's death.
18/ The doctor in charge of the research department, Julius Deussen, replied that "Dolfi" had "died of pneumonia, without suffering [...] and will not have felt more alone than before."
There are only a few books that I can find. They do not have photographs.
We remember them.
There are only a few books that I can find. They do not have photographs.
We remember them.
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