Die Freigabe der Vernichtung lebensunwerten Lebens

This work delves into the early‑twentieth‑century debate over the legal status of self‑determined death and the broader question of whether the law should extend that permission to others deemed “unfit to live.” Written by two university professors, it presents a meticulous analysis of contemporary statutes, contrasting religious moralities with emerging notions of personal sovereignty. The authors lay out the contrasting legal opinions of their day, exposing how the terminology and definitions surrounding suicide and assisted killing were still being fashioned.

Beyond the dense legal exposition, the text captures the uneasy moral climate of post‑World‑I Germany, where questions of responsibility, compassion, and societal burden collided. It offers listeners a window into the philosophical arguments that would later influence more extreme ideologies, while remaining firmly rooted in the scholarly rigor of its time. The early chapters set the stage for a thoughtful, if unsettling, exploration of how law tries to grapple with the value of life.