The T4 Program - Origins of the Holocaust

Learners will become familiar with the T4 program and it’s history. Discussion will begin with the laws that were enacted in Nazi Germany to get rid of “undesirables”, and go to the mechanisms of the euthanasia program, called The T4 Program. 

Topics we will discuss include:
- Reasons for the implementation of forced euthanasia 
- Victims of T4 and what qualifications were put into place to determine who would become a victim 
- Methods of euthanasia 
- Impact on families of victims 
- How this program was a precursor to the Holocaust 
- What we can learn about human nature, both good and bad 
 
Class time will be predominantly a lecture, and students should be somewhat familiar with the ideology of the Nazi party in Germany from 1933 to 1945. Interaction between learners and with myself will be facilitated through questions that will be posed to learners to make them think about what could have been done to prevent this tragic program from coming to fruition. Learners are more than welcome to take notes, and do not have to wait until the end of class to ask questions or share thoughts. 

Learner progress will be evaluated through topic discussion at the end of class. Learners will share with the class one thing they became aware of during lecture time. 

Learners will take away from this class an understanding of how the Holocaust was possible, and what could have been done to prevent it.