T4 Program

[Untitled.]

For those of you who don't know, T4 was a Nazi euthanasia program during which many disabled people were terminated. This had to do with eugenics, as it was believed that mental illnesses and such were hereditary and that by killing off all the affected people you could rid the rest from the nuisance. Kind of like having all Hiv-affected people castrated/killed.

Anyway, my question is, does anyone know what kind of reparations the victims and/or their families received after the war (if any)?

 

[noosers]

None directly after the war. Mayhaps little in the recent past but that´s it. Since most of their relatives or parents are dead by now, it´s pretty pointless to do. People had far more urgent problems back then and it took quite some time for a more open discussion and examination on such topics.

The far more important question on that matter is where have all the KZ doctors and their knowledge gone? How many have been persecuted and stood before trial charged with their crimes and how many have evaporated and vanished into thin air and been installed somewhere else?

http://www.euthanasiegeschaedigte-zwangssterilisierte.de/bez_wir-ueber-uns.html

If you´re capable of reading german.

 

[Untitled.]

My German is not nearly good enough for that.
I was under the impression, though, that the key persons involved were tried after the war. As for regular doctors who took part in the killings I wouldn't be surprised if they simply carried on with their lives at a different location.

 

[noosers]

Like the top medical universities in America and Russia?

Why do you need the information on that topic?

The page is basically about the history of that society (founded in 1987, prior was no offical contact point or union for aggrieved parties) and the legal options in Germany.

 

[Untitled.]

Something like that. I also understand why they would get employment in these locations, even if it might not seem sound on a moral basis.

As for why I want information on this; I'm generally interested in history and specifically in the history of Germany. During a time period when social Darwinism is popular and eugenics in general was widely accepted there's no real reason to care for the disabled. I'm pretty sure the US had their own laws regarding this, and I know for a fact that disabled people were sterilized in Sweden up until quite recently.
So if they're unwanted everywhere, what happens with them after the war? I was unable to find anything detailing that topic. I'd assume the survivors were moved to new institutes, but that's really all I could think of. There's a lot of fuzz made over homosexuals not getting any reparations, but this group seems to be less voiced.

So, just a detail that piqued my interest. Thanks for the link though, I'll probably have someone translate it for me soon.

 

[noosers]

Well, since most of the people it mainly concerned were murdered till 45, noone was left to voice anything.

Which is the reason why you´ll find hardly any "such" people beeing born pre45 in Germany held areas.

And keep in mind that there wasn´t a real reason either to care for the disabled or crippled ever since before 45 as well. Welfare was never that developed as it´s currently in Europe.

 

[Jhessail]

Both the Catholic and Protestant Churches took a very dim view of the euthanasia program and managed to force the Nazis to suspend it, temporarily at least. It wasn't publicized very much and relatives were not told that their loved ones were killed; they either died of common diseases or accidents.

 

[Wellenbrecher]

they either died of common diseases or accidents.

This. IIRC pneumonia was the most popular choice, no matter the season.

On a slightly amusing side, if you get your medical examination to check how and if you're fit for the military you're assigned into five groups: T1 through T5.
Even though these days only T1 and T2 are allowed in.

On a side note, I entered the military as T2 and left as T5.
Good times.