In October 1992 a young woman died in a car accident. She was pregnant and her fetus appeared to be unhurt, so a decision had to be made: should the mother's body be artificially supported in order to give the fetus a chance to live? The situation became a public question that split the nation in two. One side demanded -- that the young woman -- and her child -- be left to die in dignity. The other side referred to the unborn child's right to live and therefore wanted the body of the woman maintained until the fetus could be born. The following report consists of four parts. The first describes the case. In the second part the decision and its official justification are presented. The third part offers an impression of the unusual emotional reactions to which the case of the "Erlanger Baby" has given rise. The final part is a discussion of the issue and some comments.

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The article gives an account of the prelude to an extensive ethical debate in Germany which was spar ked off by an invitation to the Au stralia n philosopher Peter Singer to speak at the University of Dortmund. He was to lecture about the right to life of severely handicapperl new-born babies. But among special educators this theme provoked violent protests throughout the country; organisations of the disabled and various other groups forced the cancellation of the lecture and discussion with Peter Singer. The kind of dispute which follows in special education is not to be judged without consideration of the methodological backg round of this young discipline. The events around the 'Singer affair' have shown severe methodological deficits, which may or rather must be cured in future.

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