Ewald Meltzer

Ewald Meltzer ( born August 11, 1869 in Auerbach / Vogtl; . † 30 January 1940 in Herrnhut ) was a German physician.

Life

Ewald Meltzer studied medicine in Jena. As a prison doctor in Waldheim, he entered the preventive detention of " incorrigible habitual criminals " one. Later nearly 30 years headed the long Katharinenhof in Großhennersdorf at Lobau, a reform school for about 250 children (only 25 of which the action T4 survived ). In his essay "The problem of abbreviation life unworthy of life ", probably the most memorable refutation of Binding / font Hoche, he comes to the conclusion in 1925: " The proposal of the killing of the mentally handicapped, and be they ever so severely disabled is legal reject and ethical reasons. "

He was opponents of euthanasia. However, he expressed himself in later lectures and writings, how many euthanasia critics, in the dialectic of the proponents, so he wrote for example: ". , The risk of flooding of our cultural life with inferior people must encourage us to take countermeasures ," although he only sterilization said. In 1931, he writes: "The normal gifted part of the people will have to face ... in front against the minus variant. " ( In: Journal of the treatment Abnormal )

In Katharinenhof last Meltzer worked in his retirement.

Works

• The problem of the abbreviation of "life " life, Halle a S.: C. Marhold, 1925
• The Katharinenhof, Großhennersdorf: Verl d Meltzerstiftung, 1923
• Guide the imbecile and idiot care, Halle a S.: C. Marhold, 1914