Weindling, Paul <br/><br/>
L’eugénisme comme médecine sociale : l’époque de Weimar 

 -  2005.<br/>							 
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<br/><br/> The Weimar Republic saw new concerns to weed out supposedly “inferior” persons who spread psychological and physical disabilities. Within the framework of a democratic state, professional experts sought to identify those of “lesser value” – the so-called Minderwertigen. On the other hand, those of high eugenic value were encouraged to have large families. Eugenics should be seen as part of a human economy – or Menschenökonomie – promoting a fit and strong population. The targets of Weimar eugenic welfare schemes included juvenile delinquents, vagrants, the mentally ill, and the mentally and physically disabled. Population was the “organic capital of the state”. These concepts allowed for a biological programming of public health and social welfare. At the time these measures seemed progressive, but in retrospect they can be seen as laying the foundations of a “racial state”.