Sonnenstein Euthanasia Centre

The Sonnenstein Euthanasia Centre, located in Pirna, Germany, holds a dark and tragic place in history as one of the key sites in the Nazi regime’s T4 “euthanasia” program. Between 1940 and 1941, this facility was used to systematically murder over 13,000 people, primarily individuals with mental and physical disabilities, who were deemed “unworthy of life” by the Nazis. The victims were sent to Sonnenstein under the guise of receiving medical treatment, only to be killed in gas chambers and cremated on-site.

What makes Sonnenstein particularly chilling is how it exemplifies the calculated and bureaucratic nature of the Nazi killing machine. The centre was part of a network of similar facilities where medical professionals and staff were complicit in these crimes, falsely portraying their actions as medical care. This methodical approach to mass murder would later serve as a precursor to the larger-scale atrocities committed during the Holocaust.

Today, Sonnenstein Euthanasia Centre serves as a memorial and educational site, ensuring that the memory of the victims and the lessons of this grim period are not forgotten. The site stands as a powerful reminder of the consequences of dehumanizing ideologies and the importance of remembering history to prevent such atrocities from occurring again.