The connection between American eugenics and Nazi Germany, James Watson

Interviewee: James Watson. DNAi Location:<br>Chronicle>In the third reich>taking the torch<br><br> Beginning eugenic sterilization James Watson discusses the founding of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Anthropology, Human Genetics, and Eugenics, the German equivalent of the Eugenics Record Office. Here he talks about when Hitler came to power in 1933, German eugenicists got the large-scale sterilization program they wanted.

Well this was the bigger version of the Eugenics Record Office at Cold Spring Harbor. The building was built with money from the Rockefeller Foundation in 1927, when eugenics was generally thought to be a good thing. And the German geneticists thought it was a good thing and had a proposed program of sterilization for a large number of genetic conditions. And, but it wasn't voted in, they couldn't get it through the German democracy at the time. But the moment Hitler came into power a eugenics law was passed within a month, which prescribed sterilization for a large number of conditions including for say, being schizophrenic and in a mental hospital. So very soon afterwards they started a program of sterilization which went on until the war started, with about 600,000 people sterilized, it was a very thorough program and they had records on all these people.

hardy weinberg equilibrium,lionel penrose,negative eugenics,kaiser wilhelm institute,american eugenics,eugenic sterilization,thomas hunt morgan,race hygiene,sterilization program,human heredity,charles davenport,colchester england,genotype phenotype,rockefeller foundation,hybrid vigor,racial superiority,mid 1930s,james watson,university of heidelberg,population members

Related Content

15468. A plague outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute, James Watson

James Watson talks about a plague outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute.

  • ID: 15468
  • Source: DNAi

15434. Eugenics loses favor in the U.S., but gains support in Nazi Germany , James Watson

James Watson talks about eugenics loses favor in the U.S., but gains support in Nazi Germany .

  • ID: 15434
  • Source: DNAi

15819. Kaiser Wilhelm Institute and plaque, still image with detail

James Watson at the former Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. Source: Jan Witkowski, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

  • ID: 15819
  • Source: DNAi

15766. James Watson at the former Kaiser Wilhelm Institute

James Watson at the former Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. Source: Jan Witkowski, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

  • ID: 15766
  • Source: DNAi

15758. Godfrey Hardy and Wilhelm Weinberg

The equilibrium model of G.N. Hardy and Wilhelm Weinberg showed that sterilization of affected individuals themselves would never appreciably reduce the incidence of mental disorders, which were thought to be inherited in a recessive manner.

  • ID: 15758
  • Source: DNAi

12211. "The German Sterilization Law," by Paul Popenoe, Journal of Heredity (vol. 25) (3)

"The German Sterilization Law," by Paul Popenoe, Journal of Heredity (vol. 25) (3)

  • ID: 12211
  • Source: EA

15736. Charles Davenport and Eugen Fischer

Charles Davenport, 1925, and Eugen Fischer, about 1938.

  • ID: 15736
  • Source: DNAi

11820. "Eugenical Sterilization in Germany," Eugenical News (vol. 18:5), commentary and full translation of the German sterilization statute of 1933 (4)

"Eugenical Sterilization in Germany," Eugenical News (vol. 18:5), commentary and full translation of the German sterilization statute of 1933 (4)

  • ID: 11820
  • Source: EA

10615. "The science of eugenics and sex-life, love, marriage, maternity: the regeneration of the human race," by W.J. Hadden, C.H. Robinson, and M.R. Melendy (21)

"The science of eugenics and sex-life, love, marriage, maternity: the regeneration of the human race," by W.J. Hadden, C.H. Robinson, and M.R. Melendy (21)

  • ID: 10615
  • Source: EA