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'''Aktion T4''' was a campaign of mass murder by involuntary euthanasia in Nazi Germany during World War II. The term "Aktion T4" was first used in post-war trials against doctors who had been involved in the killings. The name "T4" is an abbreviation of Tiergartenstraße 4, a street address in the Berlin borough of Tiergarten, where the Chancellery department responsible for the program was set up in early 1940. This department recruited and paid personnel associated with the T4 program.
{{Infobox historical event
| title = Aktion T4
| image = [[File:Erlass von Hitler - Nürnberger Dokument PS-630 - datiert 1. September 1939.jpg|thumb|200px|Hitler's authorization for the T4 program]]
| date = 1939–1945
| location = Nazi Germany
| participants = Nazi regime, German medical professionals
| outcome = Systematic murder of disabled individuals
}}


== Background ==
'''Aktion T4''' was a campaign of mass murder by involuntary euthanasia in Nazi Germany. The program targeted individuals with disabilities and those deemed "life unworthy of life" (''Lebensunwertes Leben''). It was named after the address of its headquarters, Tiergartenstraße 4 in Berlin.
Under the Aktion T4 program, certain German physicians were authorized to select patients deemed incurably sick after a thorough medical examination. These patients, who were often disabled, mentally ill, or otherwise deemed "unfit" by the Nazi regime, were then administered a "mercy death" (Gnadentod). The program was an extension of the Nazi's eugenics policies, which sought to create a "racially pure" society by eliminating those they considered undesirable.


== Implementation ==
==Background==
The Aktion T4 program began in 1939 and initially targeted children with disabilities. As the program expanded, adults with disabilities and mental illnesses were also included. Patients were taken from their homes or institutions and transported to one of six euthanasia centers across Germany and Austria, where they were killed, usually by lethal injection or gas. Their families were often informed that their loved ones had died from natural causes, and the true nature of their deaths was concealed.
The roots of Aktion T4 can be traced back to the eugenics movement, which gained popularity in the early 20th century. The Nazi regime, under Adolf Hitler, adopted these ideas to promote their vision of a "racially pure" society. The program was officially initiated in 1939, although planning had begun earlier.


In total, it is estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 people were killed under the Aktion T4 program.
==Implementation==
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H13374, Philipp Bouhler.jpg|thumb|Philipp Bouhler, one of the main architects of Aktion T4]]
The program was administered by [[Philipp Bouhler]], head of the Führer's Chancellery, and [[Karl Brandt]], Hitler's personal physician. The process involved identifying individuals in mental institutions, hospitals, and other care facilities who were considered "incurable" or "unproductive." These individuals were then transported to killing centers where they were murdered, often by gas or lethal injection.


== Public Response and Cessation ==
==Methods==
Although the program was kept secret, information about the euthanasia campaign eventually leaked to the public. Some churches and members of the public openly protested against the program, leading to Hitler's order to halt the euthanasia campaign in August 1941. However, the killings continued in secret, and many of the personnel involved in the Aktion T4 program went on to participate in the Holocaust, applying their experience in mass murder to the extermination of Jews and other targeted groups.
The killing centers were equipped with gas chambers disguised as showers. Victims were told they were being taken for a medical examination or a shower, but were instead killed with carbon monoxide gas. The bodies were cremated, and families were often sent falsified death certificates.


== Aftermath ==
==Public Reaction and Opposition==
In the years following World War II, many of those involved in the Aktion T4 program were put on trial for their involvement in the mass killings. Some were sentenced to death, while others received prison sentences. The trials helped to expose the extent of the Nazi regime's eugenics policies and the atrocities committed under the guise of "mercy killings."
The program faced opposition from some quarters, including the Catholic Church. Bishop [[Clemens August Graf von Galen]] delivered sermons condemning the killings, which led to public protests. In response to the growing outcry, Hitler officially halted the program in 1941, although killings continued in secret until the end of World War II.
{{stub}}
 
* [[Category:World War II]]
==Aftermath==
* [[Category:Nazi Germany]]
After the war, the Nuremberg Trials brought some of the perpetrators of Aktion T4 to justice. The program is now recognized as a precursor to the larger-scale atrocities of the [[Holocaust]].
* [[Category:History]]
 
==Also see==
* [[Eugenics in Nazi Germany]]
* [[Holocaust]]
* [[Nuremberg Trials]]
* [[Clemens August Graf von Galen]]
 
{{Nazi Germany}}
{{Holocaust}}
 
[[Category:Nazi eugenics]]
[[Category:Holocaust]]
[[Category:War crimes]]

Latest revision as of 02:53, 11 December 2024


Aktion T4

[[File:
Hitler's authorization for the T4 program
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Aktion T4 was a campaign of mass murder by involuntary euthanasia in Nazi Germany. The program targeted individuals with disabilities and those deemed "life unworthy of life" (Lebensunwertes Leben). It was named after the address of its headquarters, Tiergartenstraße 4 in Berlin.

Background[edit]

The roots of Aktion T4 can be traced back to the eugenics movement, which gained popularity in the early 20th century. The Nazi regime, under Adolf Hitler, adopted these ideas to promote their vision of a "racially pure" society. The program was officially initiated in 1939, although planning had begun earlier.

Implementation[edit]

Philipp Bouhler, one of the main architects of Aktion T4

The program was administered by Philipp Bouhler, head of the Führer's Chancellery, and Karl Brandt, Hitler's personal physician. The process involved identifying individuals in mental institutions, hospitals, and other care facilities who were considered "incurable" or "unproductive." These individuals were then transported to killing centers where they were murdered, often by gas or lethal injection.

Methods[edit]

The killing centers were equipped with gas chambers disguised as showers. Victims were told they were being taken for a medical examination or a shower, but were instead killed with carbon monoxide gas. The bodies were cremated, and families were often sent falsified death certificates.

Public Reaction and Opposition[edit]

The program faced opposition from some quarters, including the Catholic Church. Bishop Clemens August Graf von Galen delivered sermons condemning the killings, which led to public protests. In response to the growing outcry, Hitler officially halted the program in 1941, although killings continued in secret until the end of World War II.

Aftermath[edit]

After the war, the Nuremberg Trials brought some of the perpetrators of Aktion T4 to justice. The program is now recognized as a precursor to the larger-scale atrocities of the Holocaust.

Also see[edit]

Template:Nazi Germany








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