This exhibition details the role of the Steinhof institution as a center for Nazi medical crimes in Vienna. It explores the persecution and murder of individuals deemed 'inferior' by the National Socialist regime, focusing on events that led to the deaths of thousands of patients.
The exhibition 'Steinhof, Vienna: A center of Nazi medical crimes' examines the dark chapter of Nazi medical atrocities in Vienna, particularly at the Heil- und Pflegeanstalt 'Am Steinhof' (now Otto Wagner Hospital). Under the National Socialist regime, medicine was perverted to 'weed out' individuals considered 'inferior,' including the handicapped, mentally ill, and social outcasts. The Steinhof institution became a focal point for these crimes, with over 7,500 patients losing their lives.
The exhibition highlights specific instances of systematic murder and neglect. Between 1940 and 1945, the 'children's ward' named Am Spiegelgrund was responsible for the deaths of approximately 800 children and young people. During the 'Operation T4,' over 3,200 patients were deported and murdered. Even after the official halt of 'Operation T4,' 'euthanasia' continued through deliberate malnutrition and neglect, claiming the lives of more than 3,500 additional patients. The exhibition, housed in Pavilion V of the Otto Wagner-Spital, provides a comprehensive overview of these circumstances and their profound consequences.