Lebensborn project.
“The racist state must consider the children as the most
precious thing in the country” A Hitler, Mein Kampf
On December 12, 1935 Heinrich Himmler started the
project “Lebersborn” ( the spring of live), a program
whose aim was to give Germany racially pure children.
To achieve this target, and the same time, to increase
the number of births in Germany, he encouraged S.S.
and the officials of Wehrmacht to have children with
German Aryan women with a “pedigree”.
He thought of creating the future German race, whose
new borns of Lebensborn could be the leading class. In
Himmler’s opinion, if they applied the men in Germany
the techniques of breeding already experimented on
animals, in 1980 Germany would be able to count on
120 million pure-bred Germans.
Lebensborn project.
“The racist state must consider the children as the most precious thing in the country”
A Hitler, Mein Kampf
On December 12, 1935 Heinrich Himmler started the project “Lebersborn” ( the spring
of live), a program whose aim was to give Germany racially pure children. To achieve
this target, and the same time, to increase the number of births in Germany, he
encouraged S.S. and the officials of Wehrmacht to have children with German Aryan
women with a “pedigree”.
He thought of creating the future German race, whose new borns of Lebensborn
could be the leading class. In Himmler’s opinion, if they applied the men in Germany
the techniques of breeding already experimented on animals, in 1980 Germany would
be able to count on 120 million pure-bred Germans.
Both Lebensborn parents had to pass a test of racial
purity; blond hair and blue eyes were the required and
favourite characteristics; besides it had to be possible to
trace their ancestors as for as their third generation.
This program aimed at helping pregnant mothers , both
married and single, giving them a house and money so
they were able to bring up their children without any
economical care.
In the beginning only 40% of the women who asked for
help, passed the test of racial purity and entered the
program Lebersborn. Mainly they were young single
mothers. In 1939 the percentage increased, it was
57,6%, one year later 70%.
Both Lebensborn parents had to pass a test of racial purity; blond hair and blue eyes
were the required and favourite characteristics; besides it had to be possible to trace
their ancestors as for as their third generation.
This program aimed at helping pregnant mothers , both married and single, giving
them a house and money so they were able to bring up their children without any
economical care.
In the beginning only 40% of the women who asked for help, passed the test of racial
purity and entered the program Lebersborn. Mainly they were young single mothers.
In 1939 the percentage increased, it was 57,6%, one year later 70%.
In ten years, at least 7.500 children were born in the
Lebersborn clinics open in Germany (six before the war
and four during it).
We do not know
the exact
number of
children born
as “kids of the
war”, born in
Lebersborn
clinics opened
in the occupied countries after 1940.
At the end of the war we can say that in the nine
Norwegian clinics nearly 9.000 children were born hawing
a Norwegian mother and a German father, about 5.500
in Denmark, from 8.000 to 10.000 in Netherland.
The numbers of children born in the Austrian, Belgium,
French centres and in Luxemburg is very uncertain and
so not reliable.
In ten years, at least 7.500 children were born in the Lebersborn clinics open in
Germany (six before the war and four during it).
We do not know the exact number
of children born as “kids of the war”,
born in Lebersborn clinics opened in
the occupied countries after 1940.
At the end of the war we can say that
in the nine Norwegian clinics nearly
9.000 children were born hawing a
Norwegian mother and a German
father, about 5.500 in Denmark,
from 8.000 to 10.000 in Netherland.
The numbers of children born in the Austrian, Belgium, French centres and in
Luxemburg is very uncertain and so not reliable.
At the end of 1939 German Lebersborn clinics were also
used as places where to bring up children kidnapped in
the eastern occupied lands and had all the Aryan criteria.
To increase the quantity of the genetic Aryan inheritance
quickly, Himmler decided to look for the children having
all the features of the
northem phenotype also
out of the Reich borders,
to take them to Germany
and make them German
people culturally. Since
1940 a great undertaking
of kidnapping children
had been organized.
We think that about 250.000 children were stolen by Nazi
in Poland and in other countries in Northem-Eastern
Europe.
At the end of 1939 German Lebersborn clinics were also used as places where to bring
up children kidnapped in the eastern occupied lands and had all the Aryan criteria. To
increase the quantity of the genetic Aryan inheritance quickly, Himmler decided to look
for the children having all the features of the
northem phenotype also out of the Reich borders, to
take them to Germany and make them German
people culturally. Since 1940 a great undertaking of
kidnapping children had been organized.
We think that about 250.000 children were stolen by
Nazi in Poland and in other countries in Northem-
Eastern Europe.
When the allied troops moved forward the guests of
Lebersborn were moved to the middle of Germany. On
May 1, 1945, one day after the Fuhrer’s death, the
American troops crossed Steinhoering and there they
found 300 children from six mouths to six years old , left
on their own because their mothers and the nurses had
escaped. The same happened when the English army
arrived in Bremen and the red troops in Leipzig. Sadly
many records offices had been destroyed before the
arrival of the allied troops, by the S.S. who were escaping,
as a consequence the identity of a lot of little victims was
lost forever.
Their destiny was very different: some of them were
adopted; others, who were luckier, were sent back to
their families; for the children who come from other
countries, a great part of them was sent to their native
country but not those who were considered “really
German”.
When the allied troops moved forward the guests of Lebersborn were moved to
the middle of Germany. On May 1, 1945, one day after the Fuhrer’s death, the
American troops crossed Steinhoering and there they found 300 children from six
mouths to six years old , left on their own because their mothers and the nurses
had escaped. The same happened when the English army arrived in Bremen and
the red troops in Leipzig. Sadly many records offices had been destroyed before the
arrival of the allied troops, by the S.S. who were escaping, as a consequence the
identity of a lot of little victims was lost forever.
Their destiny was very different: some of them were adopted; others, who were
luckier, were sent back to their families; for the children who come from other
countries, a great part of them was sent to their native country but not those who
were considered “really German”.
The children born in Norway had the worst fate; as the
S.S. could not destroy all the documents, the women
and the children were ill-treaded, defined “Nazi pigs” by
teachers, relatives and school-mates. The government
sent more than 14.000 women or girls who had slept
with soldiers of Wehrmacht , in internment camps. The
director of the main Norwegian psychiatric hospital
declared the madness of the women who had had
sexual interconises with Germans and said that 80% of
their children were to be considered mentally retarded
and so they had to be closed in hospitals.
For many of them who are now from seventy to eighty
years old, the identity of their parents is still a mystery.
The children born in Norway had the worst fate; as the S.S. could not destroy all the
documents, the women and the children were ill-treaded, defined “Nazi pigs” by
teachers, relatives and school-mates. The government sent more than 14.000
women or girls who had slept with soldiers of Wehrmacht , in internment camps. The
director of the main Norwegian psychiatric hospital declared the madness of the
women who had had sexual interconises with Germans and said that 80% of their
children were to be considered mentally retarded and so they had to be closed in
hospitals.
For many of them who are now from seventy to eighty years old, the identity of their
parents is still a mystery.
There wasn’t a special trial for Lebersborn, but on
October 10, 1947 the trial began (it lasted till march
1948) against RSuHA (the central office for the race and
the population). The press did not give much importance
and Lebersborn was not sentenced as an institution,
only some leaders were accused but they got very short
terms of imprisonment but only because they had been
members of a criminal association, the S.S. not for the
activities done in the project Lebersborn.
Ulrich Greifelt: life imprisonment (he died in jail in
Landsberg on February 6, 1949)
Max Sollman: two years
Gregor Ebner: two years
Gunther Tesch: two years
Inge Viermetz: was sentenced: not guilty.
...at Nuremberg trial
...at Nuremberg trial
There wasn’t a special trial for Lebersborn, but on October 10, 1947 the trial began (it
lasted till march 1948) against RSuHA (the central office for the race and the
population). The press did not give much importance and Lebersborn was not
sentenced as an institution, only some leaders were accused but they got very short
terms of imprisonment but only because they had been members of a criminal
association, the S.S. not for the activities done in the project Lebersborn.
Ulrich Greifelt: life imprisonment (he died in jail in Landsberg on February 6, 1949)
Max Sollman: two years
Gregor Ebner: two years
Gunther Tesch: two years
Inge Viermetz: was sentenced: not guilty.
