Think About It

Note to self: Also consider doing a "think about it" page about the Jews who would not have been born if the Holocaust had been completed (similar to the collage you put in your Man in the High Castle powerpoint presentation).

According to the Nazi's, it was merciful to kill those with disabilities. Nazi's reasoned that by killing the handicapped they would free them of a life of suffering and relieve society from the Burden of caring for them. However there have been many famous people throughout time who were disabled. They have contributed to society and helped make our world a better place.

Disabled people who have impacted our world:

Helen Keller - born in 1880, Helen Keller was over 50 years old when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany. Helen was a very special woman. She was a college graduate (in a time when not many women went to college), public speaker, author of 14 books, she traveled to have 39 different countries, and she offered hope all she met; she was also blind and deaf. Despite her disabilities Helen learned to speak as a child with the help of her tutor Anne Sullivan. Because of her disabilities Helen Keller would have qualified for Hitler's euthanasia program. She is just one of the many wonderful people that could have been lost if the Nazi persecution of the disabled had continued.

Learn more about Helen Keller

Visit the Home of Helen Keller official website

More about Helen

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Painter, Louis Frizino, was born deaf in 1934, the year after the The Law for the Prevention of Hereditary Diseases was signed into law in Germany. Frizino's art has won many awards. His talent would not have been recognized in Germany under Nazi leader, Hitler. He may never have been given the opportunity to share his paintings with the world.

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Agatha Christie - one of the most popular mystery writers of all time and author of over 80 novels. Christie had epilepsy, a fact which could have cost her life in Nazi Germany.

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If Hitler had triumphed many of these people would have never lived, and our world would be missing some of its most brilliant, creative, and intelligent people. We could have lost so much. Just because someone is different does not mean they are less valuable.