National-Socialism – „Euthanasia” and family research

Presenter Inga Guttzeit discusses the history surrounding the forced sterilization of mentally ill and disabled people and their murder („euthanasia”). Based on the speaker’s own relative.

During the Nazi era, people were transferred from hospitals and homes for the disabled to various institutions in the German Reich and in the annexed territories and murdered there. This took place in 2 phases. Based on the speaker’s own relative, it is possible to follow his path in today’s Poland and the Pomeranian institutions until he was murdered in Meseritz (today Międzyrzecz) in Brandenburg. There will be an overview of the history surrounding the forced sterilization of mentally ill and disabled people and their murder („euthanasia”).

Roland-member Inga Guttzeit, is a Citizen Scientist and Genealogist residing in Lübeck, Germany. She has been doing genealogical research for more than 20 years. She is a volunteer on several projects such as „Transkribus for Hanse-Documents” where she is helping to train the Transkribus AI Software platform, building the „Hanse-Recess Model” enabling better transcriptions of handwritten and printed documents of the Hanseatic League. Inga is a member of the „Working group for research into Nazi-“euthanasia” and forced sterilization” („Arbeitskreis zur Erforschung der NS-‘Euthanasie’ und Zwangssterilisation“) which was founded in 1983 and she is a member of the group „Researching Lübeck 20th Century”. She has spoken several times in person and online about genealogy and Euthanasia. In June 2023 she began working on a remembrance book („Gedenkbuch”) for victims of National Socialist-“Euthanasia” who were born in, deported from, or lived in Lübeck. Inga’s areas of research are Silesia-East Prussia, Thuringia (South), Schleswig-Holstein (near Kiel) and the Salzburg Protestant Expulsion.

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PLEASE NOTE: There is a 100-attendee limit and registration does not guarantee a spot at the meeting if we happen to exceed that number. Attendees can join the Pre-meeting chat at 12:15 pm Pacific Time (21:15 Uhr MESZ).

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The lecture is in English and will not be recorded.

BEWARE: Pacific Time (PT) is 9 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-7). On the other hand, Middle European Summer Time (MESZ) is UTC+2. Therefore, when it is 12:30 PM - 02:00 PM in PT, it is 09:30 PM - 11:00 PM (21:30 – 23:30) on the same day in MESZ.

A list of links, books, and articles on the subject of „euthanasia“ by the speaker can be downloaded here:

The German Interest Group (GIG) is comprised of members and visitors who have an interest in German genealogy and, whose ancestors not only came from Germany itself but also from the old principalities that existed prior to its 1871 unification. Additionally, ethnic Germans have inhabited areas beyond the country’s current borders including places like present-day Poland, Russia and the Alsace-Lorraine region of France.

The German Interest Group (GIG) was formed July 1986 to help members of the Eastside Genealogical Society research their German ancestry. This Group met on the first Friday from 1 pm to 3 pm at the old Lake Hills Library for many years. It then met for a short time in the Community Room at Crossroads Mall before finally moving to its current location in a room at the LDS Church. Past leaders of GIG include Jan Pankratz, Maxine Klink, Ann Passe and Karen Campbell. GIG has always been a strong group and had booths at the EGS Fair in Crossroads Mall and the local Family History Fairs.