27. Arbeitstagung der Anatomischen Gesellschaft in Würzburg 29.09.2010 bis 01.10.2010 Vorträge des Satellitensymposiums „Anatomie im Nationalsozialismus“ Vortrag 1 Rubrik: 12. Anatomie im Nationalsozialismus Abstract Nr.: Titel: "Anatomy in the Third Reich: A review of the current status of research" Autoren: Hildebrandt S.(1), Adressen: (1)University of Michigan|Division of Anatomical Sciences|Ann Arbor|USA; email:
[email protected] Abstract: Although it is known that anatomists working in Germany during the Third Reich used bodies of victims of the National Socialist (NS) regime for dissection and research, a comprehensive history of the anatomy in the Third Reich has not yet been written. Such a history has to address questions about the anatomists’ political activities and ideological support of NS policies as well as about the sources of the body supply for anatomical institutions. This review of the currently available literature gives a first outline of the field. The main conclusions are: 1. German anatomists were both, supporters and victims of NS policies. In a survey of 190 anatomists, political data were available for 128. Of those, 51 were dismissed, emigrated or suffered other career interruptions for racial and political reasons. Of the 77 remaining anatomists, 67 were members of at least one of the NS organizations, with varying political activity. 2. Without exception, all anatomy departments used the bodies of NS victims for dissection and research, including those of executed prisoners. This practice was independent of the political affiliation of individual anatomists. 3. Third, German anatomists under the leadership of Eugen Fischer were instrumental in developing the biological foundation of racial hygiene, which became the scientific justification of NS policies such as sterilization, extermination and mass murder.