“A Revolution in Favor of Reproduction”? Gynecology and Obstetrics in the “Third Reich”

Abstract

During the “Third Reich,” the majority of German gynecologists and obstetricians did not hesitate to put themselves at the service of those in power. In 1933, many gynecologists initially only focused on the fact that the biopolitical objectives of the National Socialists matched their own long-standing demands for population policy measures and the early detection and prevention of cancer. In addition, cooperating with the Nazis promised the political advancement of the profession, personal advantages, and the honorary title of <i>Volksgesundheitsführer</i> (national health leaders). As a result, gynecologists exchanged resources with the regime and thus contributed significantly to the implementation of the criminal racial policies of the Nazis. At the congresses of the <i>Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie</i> (German Society of Gynecology) “non-Aryan” members, mostly of Jewish descent, were excluded, the law on forced sterilization of 1933 (<i>Gesetz zur Verhütung erbkranken Nachwuchses</i>/Law for the Prevention of Offspring with Hereditary Diseases) was scientifically legitimized, its implementation was propagated, and relevant surgical techniques were discussed with regard to their “certainty of success.” In the course of these forced sterilizations, existing pregnancies were also terminated and the victims were misused for illegal scientific examinations or experiments. Drawing upon racial and utilitarian considerations, gynecologists did not even shy away from carrying out late abortions on forced laborers from the East during the Second World War, which were strictly prohibited even under the laws of the time. Some gynecologists carried out cruel experiments on humans in concentration camps, which primarily served their own careers and the biopolitical goals of those in power. The few times gynecologists did protest or resist was when the very interests of their profession seemed threatened, as in the dispute over home births and the rights of midwives. Social gynecological initiatives from the Weimar Republic, which were mainly supported and carried out by gynecologists persecuted for their Jewish descent since 1933, were either converted into National Socialist “education programs” or simply came to an end due to the exclusion of their initiators. German gynecologists had hoped for a large-scale promotion of the early detection of malignant diseases of the uterus and breasts, to which they had already made important contributions since the beginning of the 20th century. But even though the fight against cancer was allegedly one of the priorities of the Nazis, no comprehensive measures were taken. Still, a few locally limited initiatives to this end proved to be successful until well into the Second World War. In addition, German gynecologists established the modern concept of prenatal care and continued to advance endocrinological research and sterility therapy. After the end of the Nazi dictatorship, the historical guilt piled up during this period was suppressed and denied for decades. Its revision and processing only began in the 1990s.

Editorial

“…This situation ultimately forced the Karger family to move the publishing house from Berlin to Basel in 1937, as described in the contribution by Gabriella Karger and Muna Kugler [3]. The Nazi ideology also had a major negative impact on reproductive public health priorities and policy, as well as on clinical practice and research in obstetrics and gynecology, and this is described in a landmark contribution to this 125th anniversary issue by Frobenius and Dross [4]. In another key contribution, Ebert and David [5] describe the controversial role of one of my predecessors, Ludwig Seitz, who was Editor-in-Chief of GOI between 1933 and 1938.…”

“…When reading some specific contributions in this 125th year anniversary issue [4,5], one can only be perplexed, astonished, and scared how strongly Nazi ideology influenced medical and public health practice and research in Germany from the early 1930s until the end of World War II. It remains difficult to understand how the large majority of obstetrics and gynecology professionals, both in academia and in private practice, not only followed this racist ideology, but actively contributed to its development and implementation in daily life, and proactively and systematically removed colleagues who had a different view.…”

Die „Ehrengabe“ der DGG: ein kurzlebiger Vorläufer der Carl-Kaufmann-Medaille

“…Jahrhunderts in Ostpreußen, als Pionier der Krebsfrüherkennung im deutschen Kaiserreich [4]. Die Fortsetzung dieser Arbeit in der Zwischenkriegszeit und im "Dritten Reich" ist vor allem mit seinem späteren Nachfolger im Ordinariat, Felix von Mikulicz-Radecki (1892-1966) sowie mit den Namen Friedrich Lönne (1891-1958) und Hans Hinselmann (1884-1959) verbunden [5].…”

Los triángulos rojos: Un estudio de género de la deportación femenina española en los campos de concentración del Nacionalsocialismo

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