The problematic legacy of victim specimens from the Nazi era: Identifying the persons behind the specimens at the Max Planck Institutes for Brain Research and of Psychiatry

Weindling, Paul; Hohendorf, Gerrit; Hüntelmann, Axel C.; Kindel, Jasmin; Kinzelbach, Annemarie; Loewenau, Aleksandra; Neuner, Stephanie; Palacz, Michał Adam; Zingler, Marion; Czech, Herwig

doi:10.1080/0964704x.2021.1959185

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Or contrariwise, is it aiding in hiding history, the descent of theory and of research institutions, exactly where and when it should be documented, discussed, and explicitly condemned (e.g. Weigmann, 2001;Weindling et al, 2021;Burke and Castaneda, 2021)? Are fields that use statistical and/or AI methods uncritically (e.g.…”

Section: Geneological Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

What Makes a Good Theory, and How Do We Make a Theory Good?

Guest

2024

Comput Brain Behav

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I present an ontology of criteria for evaluating theory to answer the titular question from the perspective of a scientist practitioner. Set inside a formal account of our adjudication over theories, a metatheoretical calculus, this ontology comprises the following: (a) metaphysical commitment, the need to highlight what parts of theory are not under investigation, but are assumed, asserted, or essential; (b) discursive survival, the ability to be understood by interested non-bad actors, to withstand scrutiny within the intended (sub)field(s), and to negotiate the dialectical landscape thereof; (c) empirical interface, the potential to explicate the relationship between theory and observation, i.e., how observations relate to, and affect, theory and vice versa; (d) minimising harm, the reckoning with how theory is forged in a fire of historical, if not ongoing, abuses—from past crimes against humanity, to current exploitation, turbocharged or hyped by machine learning, to historical and present internal academic marginalisation. This work hopes to serve as a possible beginning for scientists who want to examine the properties and characteristics of theories, to propose additional virtues and vices, and to engage in further dialogue. Finally, I appeal to practitioners to iterate frequently over such criteria, by building and sharing the metatheoretical calculi used to adjudicate over theories.

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Section: Geneological Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

What Makes a Good Theory, and How Do We Make a Theory Good?

Guest

2024

Comput Brain Behav

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“…Establishing provenance is inherently difficult when no documentation exists (Weindling et al, 2023). In some instances, exhumation may be required, as in the case of the 1990 anatomical burial at Gräberfeld X Tübingen, which due to lack of documentation at the time of burial had to be exhumed in 2022 in search of brain tissues from Nazi 'euthanasia' victims (University of Teubingen, n.d.).…”

Section: Issues Establishing Provenancementioning

confidence: 99%

American Association for Anatomy recommendations for the management of legacy anatomical collections

Cornwall,

Champney,

de la Cova

et al. 2024

The Anatomical Record

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Collections of human remains in scientific and private institutions have a long tradition, though throughout history there has often been variable regard for the respect and dignity that these tissues demand. Recent public scandals around the use of human remains, coupled with an increasing community awareness around accountability in such instances, forces scholars to confront the ethical and moral concerns associated with these collections. This includes specific focus on the acquisition, storage, use, and disposition of these remains, which were often collected with no consent and with little knowledge, or concern, about the individual or their respective culture and practices surrounding death and postmortem treatment. As a response, the American Association for Anatomy convened a Legacy Anatomical Collections Task Force to consider these issues and to develop recommendations to assist those working with these tissues in education, research, and museum collections. This has culminated with the development of Recommendations for the Management of Legacy Anatomical Collections. The recommendations provide both an ethical foundation and practical considerations for the use, storage, and disposition of legacy collections of human tissues, and deliver guidance for establishing appropriate management and oversight, investigating provenance, and engaging with communities of care. While these Recommendations are considered a living document which will change over time as ethical principles concerning human tissue evolve, they currently represent ‘best practice’ recommendations that can guide researchers, teachers, and museum associates as they consider the future of legacy anatomical collections in their care.

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“…29 The collection of brains amassed from victims of Nazi crimes remained in research institutes, e.g., Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Munich and Berlin, decades after the war and the trial at Nuremberg. 30 These events show that neither exceptional brilliance nor professional dedication provide immunity from being influenced, whether by ethical indifference, or by personal or professional gain, to take active part in atrocities.…”

Section: Academia and Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revisiting psychiatric support for the National Socialist Agenda in Germany: Implications for medical and residency training

McMahon

Ali²,

Baronia

et al. 2023

The Chronicles

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The transition of power from a failing Weimer Republic to the National Socialist (Nazi) government was characterized by many economic and politically-motivated changes. Economic crises and the overcrowding of psychiatric hospitals in Germany were the setting for these events. The eugenics movement, although not unique to Germany in the 1920s, would eventually culminate in the compulsory sterilization, euthanasia, and extermination in concentration camps. Historical accounts tend to focus on political and military leaders with the role of medical professionals often overlooked or forgotten. Additionally, there are connections between these programs and medical research. This article aims to elucidate the factors that influenced their role in this historical tragedy and their current implications on how physicians train, learn, and practice role of the medical professionals.

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The problematic legacy of victim specimens from the Nazi era: Identifying the persons behind the specimens at the Max Planck Institutes for Brain Research and of Psychiatry

Cited by 11 publications

References 17 publications

What Makes a Good Theory, and How Do We Make a Theory Good?

What Makes a Good Theory, and How Do We Make a Theory Good?

American Association for Anatomy recommendations for the management of legacy anatomical collections

Revisiting psychiatric support for the National Socialist Agenda in Germany: Implications for medical and residency training

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