The Nazi Symbiosis : Human Genetics and Politics in the Third Reich

The Faustian bargain—in which an individual or group collaborates with an evil entity in order to obtain knowledge, power, or material gain—is perhaps best exemplified by the alliance between world-renowned human geneticists and the Nazi state. Under the swastika, German scientists descended into the moral abyss, perpetrating heinous medical crimes at Auschwitz and at euthanasia hospitals. But why did biomedical researchers accept such a bargain? __The Nazi Symbiosis__ offers a nuanced account of the myriad ways human heredity and Nazi politics reinforced each other before and during the Third Reich. Exploring the ethical and professional consequences for the scientists involved as well as the political ramifications for Nazi racial policies, Sheila Faith Weiss places genetics and eugenics in their larger international context. In questioning whether the motives that propelled German geneticists were different from the compromises that researchers from other countries and eras face, Weiss extends her argument into our modern moment, as we confront the promises and perils of genomic medicine today.

The Faustian bargain-in which an individual or group collaborates with an evil entity in order to obtain knowledge, power, or material gain-is perhaps best exemplified by the alliance between world-renowned human geneticists and the Nazi state. Under the swastika, German scientists descended into the moral abyss, perpetrating heinous medical crimes at Auschwitz and at euthanasia hospitals. But why did biomedical researchers accept such a bargain?

The Nazi Symbiosis offers a nuanced account of the myriad ways human heredity and Nazi politics reinforced each other before and during the Third Reich. Exploring the ethical and professional consequences for the scientists involved as well as the political ramifications for Nazi racial policies, Sheila Faith Weiss places genetics and eugenics in their larger international context. In questioning whether the motives that propelled German geneticists were different from the compromises that researchers from other countries and eras have faced, Weiss extends her argument into our modern moment, as we confront the promises and perils of genomic medicine today.

'the Nazi Symbiosis' Offers A Nuanced Account Of The Myriad Ways Human Heredity And Nazi Politics Reinforced Each Other Before And During The Third Reich. It Questions Whether The Motives Of German Geneticists Were Much Different From The Compromises That Are Faced By Researchers From Other Countries And Eras. An Old Legend And A New Legacy -- Human Heredity And Eugenics Make Their International Debut -- The Devil's Directors At Dahlem -- The Munich Pact -- The Politics Of Professional Talk -- Politicized Pedagogy -- The International Human Genetics Community Faces Nazi Germany -- The Road Not Taken Elsewhere : Was There Something Unique About Human Heredity During The Third Reich? Sheila Faith Weiss. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents ......Page 8 Introduction: An Old Legend and a New Legacy ......Page 10 1. Human Heredity and Eugenics Make Their International Debut ......Page 29 2. The Devil's Directors at Dahlem ......Page 78 3. The Munich Pact ......Page 130 4. The Politics of Professional Talk ......Page 193 5. Politicized Pedagogy ......Page 228 6. The International Human Genetics Community Faces Nazi Germany ......Page 274 Conclusion: The Road Not Taken Elsewhere: Was There Something Unique about Human Heredity during the Third Reich? ......Page 311 Acknowledgments ......Page 322 Archival Sources ......Page 328 Notes ......Page 330 Index ......Page 380 Under the swastika, German scientists descended into the moral abyss, perpetrating heinous medical crimes at Auschwitz and at euthanasia hospitals. But why did biomedical researchers accept such a bargain? This title offers an account of the myriad ways human heredity and Nazi politics reinforced each other before and during the Third Reich. The Faustian bargain is perhaps best exemplified by the alliance between world-renowned human geneticists and the Nazi state. This title presents an account of the myriad ways human heredity and Nazi politics reinforced each other before and during the Third Reich.