Seriously...

Bad Blood - 4. Rassenhygiene


Listen Later

In the name of eugenics, the Nazi state sterilised hundreds of thousands against their will, murdered disabled children and embarked on a programme of genocide.

Why?

We like to believe that Nazi atrocities were a unique aberration, a grotesque historical outlier. But it turns out that leading American eugenicists and lawmakers like Madison Grant and Harry Laughlin inspired many of the Nazi programmes, from the mass sterilisation of those deemed ‘unfit’ to the

Nuremberg laws preventing the marriage of Jews and non-Jews. Indeed, before WW2, many eugenicists across the world regarded the Nazi regime with envious admiration.

The Nazis went further, faster than anyone before them. But ultimately, the story of Nazi eugenics is one of international connection and continuity.

Contributors: Professor Stefan Kühl from the University of Bielefield, Professor Amy Carney from Penn State Behrend, Dr Jonathan Spiro from Castleton University, Professor Sheila Weiss from Clarkson University and Dr Barbara Warnock from the Wiener Holocaust Library

Music and Sound Design by Jon Nicholls

Presented by Adam Rutherford
Produced by IIan Goodman

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Seriously...By BBC Radio 4

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

257 ratings


More shows like Seriously...

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,607 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

374 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

882 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,048 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,481 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,799 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

959 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,761 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,041 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,097 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,088 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

484 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

46 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

298 Listeners

Moral Maze by BBC Radio 4

Moral Maze

71 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

744 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

237 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

844 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

160 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,152 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

739 Listeners

Cyber Hack by BBC World Service

Cyber Hack

1,640 Listeners

The History Podcast by BBC Radio 4

The History Podcast

63 Listeners