The targets of this genocide were those deemed to suffer from mental or physical illness. They were deemed as lesser beings by the Nazi party. The program fell in line with the ideas of
eugenics and
racial hygiene.
Forced sterilizations were also methods used to target those with disabilities or illness under this Nazi program. The goal was to ensure that a new generation would have the most favorable genes, such as those inline with the ideals of the
Aryan race. Only some of the doctors faced trials, such as those at
Nuremberg, while most continued on with their jobs. This memorial brings awareness to the breadth of
genocide committed during this time period. Located at
Tiergartenstrasse 4, 10785 Berlin, this memorial brings awareness to the atrocities that were planned there. The Curve sculpture, the Monument of the Grey Buses, and the
Topography of Terror are just some of the memorials at Tiergartenstrasse. Berlin's Philharmonic is the only building on site that does not pay homage to the victims of euthanasia. This area has been reshaped to show the history of the location, while still allowing the city of Berlin to grow around it. A contest was held by the state of Berlin to determine the design and the designer of the memorial. The winning design was crafted by architect Ursula Williams and landscape architects Nikolaus Koliusis and Heinz W. Hallmann. Their design incorporated at 24-meter wall made of blue glass set in concrete. The glass allows visitors to see through it as they sit on a concrete bench or peer through while gazing up from the information point. The memorial provides information about the history of the killings, how it is relevant today, and portraits of 10 victims. It was created to educate and allow visitors to reflect on the past it represents. The German lower house of parliament (German; Deutscher
Bundestag) voted on the creation of the monument in November 2011 (c). This then prompted the contest in Berlin and construction commenced once the winning team was selected for which the government contributed 500,000
Euros. After everything was finalized, it officially opened to the public on September 2, 2014 and is open 24 hours a day. The memorial additionally received government support from the Federal Commissioner for Department for Culture and Media, the mayor of Berlin, the Senate Chancellery (Cultural Affairs), and the Senate Department for Urban Development & the Environment. Funding also came from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and Professor Peter Funke, Vice President of DFG, represented them at the opening ceremony. The former councilman is an activist for disability inclusion in Germany today.
Bernd Neumann, Germany's State Minister for Culture, highlighted one of the goals of the memorial by stating that "educating people about the Nazis' crimes and honoring their victims remained an obligation for the country. Multiple German officials have commented on the memorial and what it represents. Deputy speaker of the German parliament,
Ulla Schmidt, thinks that the memorial serves as "a worthy place to keep alive the memory of the some 300,000 disabled and ill people who were murdered." The tone set by these officials, and their colleagues, arranged the way for the memorial to be created and sustained. The German public has also openly reflected on the memorial. Some see the glass "as a symbol to inform people about the scope of the euthanasia murders." ==References==