The ideological roots of Nazi eugenics in pathology and its pioneers Martin Staemmler, Ludwig Aschoff, Robert Rössle, and Georg B. Gruber.

Abstract

This study examines the ideological roots of Nazi eugenics and racial hygiene in the medical field of pathology and its key figures Martin Staemmler (1890-1974), Ludwig Aschoff (1886-1942), Robert Rössle (1876-1956), and Georg B. Gruber (1884-1977). The focus is on their specific approaches to racial hygiene and its legitimization by pathology and its representatives. The study is based primarily on the scientific works and statements of these four pathologists on the content of racial hygiene and the impact of these contributions on Nazi eugenics and its practical implementation in the Third Reich. The paper provides three key findings: (1) Staemmler, Aschoff, Rössle, and Gruber each had a significant impact on the implementation of Nazi eugenics and the legitimization of the Third Reich's health and population policies. (2) They all proclaimed the superiority of the Volksgemeinschaft ('people's community') over the individual and pursued the major objective of ensuring Volksgesundheit ('national health') by preventing the spread of hereditary diseases through sterilizations. (3) The specific relationship to racial hygiene was different for each of the four pathologists: Staemmler had a direct vision of racial hygiene in a national socialist context, Aschoff was committed to the subject long before 1933 and used the Nazi rise to power to reaffirm and expand his position, Rössle and Gruber adopted racial hygiene ideas not until the mid-1930s, but later radicalized their views and lent additional legitimacy to Nazi eugenics in theory and practice. (4) Albeit to varying degrees, all four pathologists bear some responsibility for the medical crimes that resulted from Nazi eugenics and the related policies. It can be concluded that Staemmler, Aschoff, Rössle, and Gruber made considerable contributions to the theory of Nazi eugenics and provided the much-needed scientific legitimization for the Third Reich's health and population policies.