14 July 1933 The Reich Government has passed the following law, which is announced herewith : Par. 1 (1)Anyone who is suffering from a hereditary disease can be sterilized by a surgical operation if, according to the experiences of medical science, it is to be expected with great probability that his offspring will suffer from serious hereditary physical or mental defects. (2) Those who suffer from any of the following diseases are considered to be suffering from a hereditary disease within the, meaning of this law: Mental deficiency from birth Schizophrenia Circular (manic-depressive) lunacy Hereditary epilepsy Hereditary St. Vitus’ Dance (Huntington’s Chorea) Hereditary blindness Hereditary deafness Serious hereditary physical malformation. (3) Furthermore, persons suffering badly from alcoholism can be sterilized. Par. 2 (1) The person to be sterilized has the right to make an application. If this person is incapacitated or under tutelage because of mental deficiency or is not yet 18, the legal representative has the right to make an application but needs the consent of the court of guardians to do so. In other cases of limited capacity the application needs the consent of the legal representative. If someone who has attained his or her majority has received someone to look after his or her person, the consent of the latter is necessary. (2) A certificate from a doctor approved for the German Reich is to be attached to the application, to the effect that the person to be sterilized has been informed of the nature and results of sterilization. (3) The application can be withdrawn. Par. 3 Sterilization can also be applied for by the following: The civil service doctor For the inmates of a sanatorium or nursing home, by the head thereof. Par. 4 The application is to be made to the office of the Eugenics Court; it can either be in writing or can be dictated to it. The facts forming the basis of the application are to be attested to by a medical opinion or in some other way. The office must inform the civil service doctor of the application. Par. 5 Competent to decide is the Eugenics Court to whose sphere of jurisdiction the person to be sterilized normally belongs. Par. 6 (1) The Eugenics Court is to be attached to a Lower Court. It consists of a Lower Court Judge as President, a civil service doctor and another doctor approved for the German Reich who is an expert on eugenics. A representative is to be appointed for each member. (2) Anyone who has judged an application to the court of guardians for permission, in accordance with par. 2, subpar. (I), is excluded as President. If a civil service doctor has made the application, he cannot take part in the decision. Par. 7 (1) The proceedings before the Eugenics Court are not public. (2) The Eugenics Court must institute the necessary investigations; it can hear witnesses and experts, and can order the personal appearance and medical examination of the person to be sterilized, and can cause him to be brought before them if he absents himself without excuse. For the crossexamination and swearing-in … Continue reading LAW FOR THE PREVENTION OF OFFSPRING WITH HEREDITARY DISEASES