[On letterhead A. Hitler]
Berlin 1 Sept 1939
Reichsleiter Bouhler and Dr. Brandt, M.D.
are charged with the responsibility of enlarging the authority of certain physicians to be designated by name in such a manner that persons who, according to human judgment, are incurable can, upon a most careful diagnosis of their condition of sickness, be accorded a mercy death.
signed: A. HITLER
[Handwritten note]
Given to me by Bouhler on 2-7 August 1940 signed: Dr. Guertner III a 3/41 g Rs /
451
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Order to Reichsleiter Bouhler and Dr. Brandt authorizing a program of "mercy killing" of incurable persons
Authors
Adolf Hitler (Fuehrer, Reich Chancellor, Supeme Commander of Wehrmacht)
Adolf Hitler
Austrian nationalized German politician, leader of the National Socialist party and dictator of Germany (1889-1945)
- Born: 1889-01-01 1889-04-20 (Braunau am Inn) (country: Austria-Hungary; located in the administrative territorial entity: Archduchy of Austria above the Enns; statement is subject of: Adolf-Hitler-Geburtshaus)
- Died: 1945-04-30 (Berlin Führerbunker) (country: Nazi Germany; located in the administrative territorial entity: Berlin; statement is subject of: death of Adolf Hitler)
- Country of citizenship: Cisleithania (period: 1889-04-20 through 1918-11-11); First Republic of Austria (period: 1919-01-01 through 1925-04-30); Nazi Germany (end cause: death of Adolf Hitler; period: 1933-01-30 through 1945-04-30); Republic of German-Austria (period: 1918-01-01 through 1919-01-01)
- Occupation: painter (statement is subject of: paintings by Adolf Hitler); political writer; politician (reason for preferred rank: generally used form); soldier
- Member of political party: German Workers' Party (period: 1919-09-12 through 1921-07-11); Nazi Party (series ordinal: 556)
- Member of: Nazi Party
- Participant in: Aktion T4; Beer Hall Putsch; The Holocaust; ethnic cleansing
- Significant person: Albert Speer; Benito Mussolini; Eva Braun; Joseph Stalin
Date: 01 September 1939
Total Pages: 1
Language of Text: English
Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)
Evidence Code: PS-630
Citation: NMT 3 (page 2693)
HLSL Item No.: 6427
Notes:A note indicates that the order was passed on to Dr. Guertner, Minister of Justice, on 27 August 1940.
Document Summary
PS-630: Hitler's Order introducing mercy killings
PS-630: Order by Hitler to Reichsleiter Bouhler and Dr Brandt, 1 September 1939, to authorize certain doctors to carry out "mercy-killings" on incurables
PS-630: Order giving Bouhler and Brandt responsibility for carrying out program of mercy killings.