Euthanasie Stele

In the shadow of the Euthanasie Stele, a chilling truth lingers. This stele, erected in the archway of the old Nervenklinik, stands as a stark reminder of a dark chapter in Würzburg’s history. The Euthanasie Stele commemorates the victims of Nazi atrocities. During the Nazi regime, the concept of “life unworthy of life” led to the systematic murder of over 250,000 mentally ill individuals, including more than 5,000 children. Tragically, doctors from Würzburg University Clinics were complicit in these crimes. The Euthanasie Stele bears inscriptions. These inscriptions read “In memory of the victims of National Socialism” and list key dates: “Forced Sterilization 1934-1945,” “Euthanasia 1940-1945,” and “Satellite Camp of Flossenbürg Concentration Camp 1943-1945.” At the Würzburg University Women’s Clinic, 994 women and girls were forcibly sterilized due to mental illness or racial ideology. Werner Heyde, a staunch Nazi and director of the Nervenklinik, played a key role in the T4 Aktion. This Aktion resulted in the systematic murder of over 70,000 patients in 1940 and 1941. From 1943, the Nervenklinik also housed a satellite camp of the Flossenbürg concentration camp. The Euthanasie Stele serves as a painful reminder of this horrific period. It stands as a testament to the lives lost and the importance of remembering these atrocities to prevent their recurrence. The Euthanasie Stele’s presence ensures that this dark chapter will never be forgotten.