title: Phases in the postwar German reception of the "Euthanasia Program" (1939-1945) involving the killing of the mentally disabled and its exploitation by neuroscientists.
abstract: The killing of disabled patients with mental diseases during 1939-1945 is regarded as the precursor to the Holocaust. Although known at least since the Nuremberg Doctors Trial (1946-1947), the reception accorded these crimes against humanity varied (and evolved through time) depending on the parties: the old establishment, the younger generation, the different political interests, and the jurists, the theologians, the historians, the medical authorities. I attempt to distinguish five phases in the debate in light of the political background between 1945 until the present.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Brain Research, Eberhard-Karls-University of Tübingen. jpeiffer@supra-net.net
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peiffer
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000941:ethics / Q000266:history*; D002910:Chronology as Topic; D003469:Culture; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000941:ethics / Q000266:history*; D005858:Germany; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006708:Homicide / Q000941:ethics / Q000266:history*; D006801:Humans; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000266:history*; D028683:National Socialism / Q000266:history*; D009488:Neurosciences / Q000941:ethics / Q000266:history*; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000266:history*; D011643:Publishing; D013997:Time Factors; D014858:War Crimes / Q000941:ethics / Q000266:history*; D047789:World War II