Creating the master race is the companion volume to an exhibition of the same name at the united states holocaust memorial museum. Holocaust memorial museum, this glossy, oversized book reveals in stark words and chilling images the pseudoscientific atrocities of the. What happens when science is corrupted by destructive ideology. Creating the master race the following text is the narrative of an online exhibit developed by the united states holocaust memorial museum in 2004. The defendants in this case are charged with murders, tortures, and other atrocities committed in the name of medical science. Help us teach about the consequences of unchecked hate and antisemitism.
Driven by a racist ideology legitimized by german scientists. The exhibition implicitly evoked the presentday appeal of biological explanations for human. Cohen will discuss the ethics of using medical data from nazi experiments on the tulane university uptown campus, in conjunction with the ongoing exhibit, deadly medicine. From the early twentiethcentury international eugenics movements to presentday dreams of eliminating inherited disabilities through genetic manipulation, the issues remain timely. The accompanying publication to a current exhibit at the u. Creating the master race exhibit traces this history from the early 20thcentury international eugenics movement to the nazi regimes science of race. Spring 2009 for information about citing these materials. Recognition reparation and reconciliation 2018 just. German proponents of eugenics were part of an international phenomenon.
A provocative exhibition about medical ethics and social responsibility. The united states holocaust memorial museums traveling exhibition deadly medicine. It is left to the reader to determine whether such truths are unique to a particular historical era or can serve as a template. The exhibition, organized and circulated by the united states holocaust memorial museum, examines how eugenics the belief that humanity can be improved by encouraging some people to have children, while preventing others from doing so was seized upon by the nazis to. From 1933 to 1945, nazi germany s government led by adolf hitler promoted a nationalism that combined territorial expansion, claims of the biological superiority of an aryan master race, and savage antisemitism. Oral history interviews from the united states holocaust memorial museums deadly medicine.
As the head of the kaiser wilhelm institute s department for human heredity, dr. We see a white lab coat belonging to a murderous german doctor, a pair of oven mitts used when operating an incinerator, and a wide array of calipers for racial anthropometry. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Creating the master race shows how the nazi regime under adolf hitler aimed to change the genetic makeup of the population through measures known as racial hygiene or eugenics, and the role that scientists in the biomedical fields especially anthropologists, psychiatrists, and geneticists, these were all medically. The victims of these crimes are numbered in the hundreds of thousands. The exhibition and this end page 602 publication represent a notable event in the history of holocaust scholarshipnamely, recognition of the role of medical science by a. Scientists in the biomedical fields, many of them medically trained experts, played a role in legitimizing these policies and helping to implement them. Richard hortons comment1 was extremely heartfelt, and we felt as if it were phrased in our very own words. University of north carolina press, for the holocaust memorial. Creating the master race is based on the current exhibit of the same name at the u. Creating the master race, exhibition at the holocaust museum, washington, dc, october, 2004 october 16, 2005. Deadly medicine chronicles how nazi leadership in its zeal to find biological solutions for social problems worked with individuals in professions traditionally charged with healing and the public good to legitimize persecution, murder and ultimately genocide. The mentally handicapped and the mentally ill are a cost factor.
Enlisting the help of physicians and medically trained geneticists, psychiatrists and anthropologists, the. Sorry, we are unable to provide the full text but you may find it at the following locations. For more than 10 years, the integrated curriculum for anthroposophic medicine at wittenherdecke university has been teaching medical ethics through the example of medicine in national socialism. Europe pmc is a service of the europe pmc funders group, in partnership with the european bioinformatics institute. From 1933 to 1945, nazi germanys government led by adolf hitler promoted a nationalism that combined territorial expansion with claims of biological superiorityan aryan master raceand virulent antisemitism. Creating the master race, which includes reproductions of photographs and documents, films, and survivor testimony, traces how the persecution of groups deemed biologically inferior led to the near annihilation of european jewry in the 20th century. Creating the master race exhibition collection were transferred to the ushmm oral history branch from the museums institutional archives in april 20. Kevles, international eugenics, in deadly medicine.
Creating the master race examines how the nazi leadership. The following text is the narrative of an online exhibit developed by the united states. Seven essays by distinguished scholars in the field provide a contextual. Creating the master race resources these lesson plans, historical resources and information about eugenics in america correlate to the united states holocaust memorial museums online exhibition deadly medicine. Michael ollove at the baltimore sun reports on a new exhibit at the u. Companion hardcover book for the deadly medicine exhibit. Driven by a racist ideology legitimized by german scientists, the nazis attempted to eliminate all of europes jews, ultimately killing six million in the holocaust. The canadian war museum announced the opening of the special exhibition, deadly medicine. The museums collections document the fate of holocaust victims, survivors, rescuers, liberators, and others through artifacts, documents, photos, films, books, personal stories, and more. It also challenges viewers to reflect on the presentday interest in genetic manipulation that promotes the possibility of.
The book was first published in november 1988 and focused on the murder case of convicted serial killer genene jones. It includes content provided to the pmc international archive by participating publishers. In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content. Creating the master race at the stellenbosch university museum 4pm 4. It also challenges viewers to reflect on the presentday interest in genetic manipulation that promotes the possibility. Brigadier general telford taylor was chief of counsel during the doctors trial. He currently serves as the bobby lee cook professor of law at georgia state university in atlanta. Creating the master race shows how the nazi regime aimed to change the genetic makeup of the population through measures known as racial hygiene or eugenics, and the role that scientists in the biomedical fields played in legitimizing these policies. The collaboration between the ama and the holocaust museum coincides with the museums special exhibition, deadly medicine. In taylors own words, from the opening statement by the prosecution.
This is a book of substance in both presentation and content. It is distinguished from earlier works on this difficult topic by its content and format. United states holocaust memorial council board of trustees. The united states holocaust memorial museums deadly medicine. The original note authorising t4 is on display in deadly medicine amid a chilling collection of photographs, film clips, and medical paraphernalia. Cultivating awareness of the holocaust in medicine the. As the head of the kaiser wilhelm institutes department for human heredity, dr.
Deadly medicine is a 1988 nonfiction true crime book by kelly moore and dan reed that was adapted for television in 1991, as an nbc movieoftheweek by the same name. Creating the master race is the first major survey exhibition to present this link. Lombardo is an american legal historian known for his work on the legacy of eugenics and sterilization in the united states. Creating the master race the nazi regime under adolf hitler aimed to change the genetic makeup of the population through measures known as racial hygiene or eugenics. Available online at amazon, barnes and noble, walmart, ebay, etc. The exhibit shows a 1937 nazi propaganda film that invokes the law of natural selection as support for weeding out the unfit.
Holocaust memorial museum external icon, deadly medicine. Creating the master race on display july 25, 2012 october 15, 2012 from 1933 to 1945, nazi germany carried out a campaign to cleanse german society of people viewed as biological threats to the nations health. Creating the master race amply illustrates the truths that should replace our myths regarding medicine in the third reich. Creating the master race inspires reflection on the continuing attraction of biological utopias that promote the possibility of human perfection. Encyclopedia of jewish and israeli history, politics and culture, with biographies, statistics, articles and documents on topics from antisemitism to zionism. The detroit science center attempts to address this issue with an investigation into nazi germanys abuse of scientific principles to legitimize violence and genocide. Creating the master race, on loan from the united states holocaust memorial museum, traces this history from the early 20thcentury international eugenics movement to the nazi regimes science of race. Creating the master race, united states holocaust memorial museum, washington, dc, 2004. The english scientist francis galton coined the term eugenics, meaning good birth, in 1883. Creating the master race, exhibit at the united states holocaust. Search below to view digital records and find material that you can access at our library and at the shapell center. Creating the master race showed how both eugenics and related euthanasia programs in nazi germany helped pave the road to the holocaust.
286 49 846 1454 1174 62 125 1292 562 1516 198 1304 353 290 222 558 1216 539 621 60 1030 77 1549 1126 1649 1086 261 522 1136 1346 297 449 213 715 499 440 608 1430 424