title: [Forced sterilisation based on the Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring. The role of the Heil- und Pflegeanstalt (State Hospital) Günzburg].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  From 1934 to 1945, 350,000-400,000 human beings were sterilised by force in the German Reich. Forced sterilisation was based on the Gesetz zur Verhütung erbkranken Nachwuchses (Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring). The Heil- und Pflegeanstalt (State Hospital) Günzburg was one of the institutions where compulsory sterilisation was practised.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data evaluation was based on patient documents and annual reports of the archives of today's district hospital at Günzburg. Patient records were analysed with respect to predefined criteria. The municipal archives of Günzburg provided further historical sources and data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 1934 and 1943, 366 patients were sterilised in the Heil- und Pflegeanstalt (State Hospital) Günzburg. Age, sex and diagnosis were found to be criteria relevant for selection of patients for sterilisation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study was able to show the active involvement of the Heil- und Pflegeanstalt (State Hospital) Günzburg in the compulsory sterilisation programme.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Ethik, Geschichte und Theorie der Medizin, LMU München, Lessingstr. 2, 80336, München, Deutschland. florian.steger@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Steger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Strube
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D005053:Eugenics / Q000266:history / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005858:Germany; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006783:Hospitals, State / Q000266:history / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D028683:National Socialism / Q000266:history; D013244:Sterilization, Involuntary / Q000266:history / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*