On a lonely stretch of highway to the east of Reutlingen and on the way to Bad Urach, one can find Schloss Grafeneck. It is not much of a castle as castles go, but its place here has a tragic role in German history. This castle, previously rebuilt as a sanitarium for the mentally ill and handicapped, was one of six locations where the Nazis started the Tiergarten 4 (T4) euthanasia program, which finally culminated in the holocaust.
There is not much to see, as the castle is still used as a sanitarium to this day. However, there are memorials and signs, as well as a repository of documents dealing with the T4 program at the castle.
The T4 Program, for those who do not know, was the Nazi project to starve to death mentally ill and handicapped patients, or those considered terminally ill.
The sign: "On this location, 300 meters from here, you will find the Documentation Center regarding the History of the Euthansia program."
The front entrance to the main building. Along the road there are also numerous side buildings that house elderly patients. The grounds are quiet and peaceful, and only the signs remind one of what terrible things happened here over 50 years ago.
Nice sounding "positive" phrases were used to describe the killings. Indeed, when doctors recommended that one be put to death, they marked the patient's record with a "+" sign. Oh, how genteel!
It is with good reason that Germany still outlaws abortion, for the killing program was an extension of abortion, which was based on the notion that one could create the "perfect" man. Too many people today still believe such vicious folly.
