Karl Brandt

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H0422-0502-001, Berlin, Beisetzung Oberst Werner Mölders

Karl-Brandt

Karl Brandt (8 January 1904 – 2 June 1948) was a German physician and Schutzstaffel (SS) officer in Nazi Germany. He rose to prominence as Adolf Hitler's personal physician and was involved in the implementation of the regime's euthanasia programs, including the infamous Aktion T4, which aimed at exterminating individuals deemed "life unworthy of life." Brandt played a significant role in the advancement of medical ethics violations during the Third Reich, including human experimentation.

Early Life and Career

Karl Brandt was born in Mulhouse, then part of the German Empire, and pursued a career in medicine, graduating from the University of Jena. He joined the Nazi Party and the SS, where he quickly ascended the ranks due to his professional skills and loyalty to Nazi ideology.

Role in Nazi Germany

As Hitler's personal physician, Brandt became a member of the Führer's inner circle. His position granted him significant influence over health and medical policies in the Third Reich. He was appointed co-head of the Aktion T4 program alongside Philipp Bouhler. The program led to the systematic murder of disabled adults and children deemed unfit by the regime, using methods such as gas chambers and lethal injections.

Brandt's responsibilities expanded during World War II, overseeing medical care for the SS and later being appointed Commissioner of Health and Sanitation by Hitler. In this capacity, he had authority over all medical organizations in Nazi Germany and was involved in the coordination of medical experiments on concentration camp prisoners. These experiments, often conducted without consent, included exposure to infectious diseases, sterilization, and attempts to regenerate bone, muscle, and nerve tissues.

Trial and Execution

After the war, Karl Brandt was captured by Allied forces and tried at the Doctors' Trial, part of the subsequent Nuremberg Trials. He was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity for his involvement in human experimentation and the euthanasia program. Brandt defended his actions as following orders and contributing to medical science, but he was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging.

Legacy

Karl Brandt's legacy is a stark reminder of the perils of medical ethics violations and the importance of consent in medical experiments. His actions during the Third Reich have been extensively studied in discussions of medical ethics, the physician's role in society, and the consequences of combining political power with medical practice.

See Also

• Aktion T4
• Nazi human experimentation
• Doctors' Trial
• Euthanasia in Nazi Germany