Asperger revelations impact and discussion (disturbing content)

[HardAsSnails]

You may be aware that both a new book and an extensive piece of archival research have recently been published, documenting Hans Asperger's complicity in Nazi policies which led to the deaths of disabled children.

This is understandably upsetting to many people, particularly those with Asperger Syndrome diagnoses and those with children diagnosed. I have pulled together some resources which may help anyone with an interest better understand the situation and hopefully we can discuss any personal concerns here.

Asperger Syndrome has already been removed from the DSM and will not be present in the ICD-11. If you or your child/children have AS diagnosed the removal of the sub-category does not mean you lose your diagnosis, it just means that if diagnosed now you would be diagnosed with ASD/ASC. Many people are renouncing their Asperger/Aspie identities and instead adopting the broader autism/autistic identities, but this doesn't change who you are or who your children are.

Newspaper article on Sheffer's book:
mobile.nytimes.com/2018/03/31/opinion/sunday/nazi-history-asperger.html

Newspaper article on Czech's research:
www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/19/hans-asperger-aided-and-supported-nazi-programme-study-says

Open access full journal paper:
molecularautism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13229-018-0208-6

Autistic perspective:
www.independent.co.uk/voices/hans-asperger-autism-eugenics-nazi-germany-lorna-wing-judith-gould-a8312536.html

Another autistic perspective:
crippledscholar.com/2018/04/20/reflecting-on-the-fact-that-hans-asperger-was-really-a-nazi-and-not-just-working-from-the-inside-to-protect-vulnerable-people/

Interesting discussion piece with Steve Silberman and Max Sparrow:
www.thinkingautismguide.com/2018/04/on-hans-asperger-nazis-and-autism.html?m=1

Can we please refrain for speculating and dwelling on the Nazi atrocities as it's likely to lead to this thread being deleted

Thank you, both for opening this up for discussion and the very delicate way you've handled the subject matter.

I believe there is probably a middle ground of "truth" in that he sent dozens of children off to Spiegelgrund but his intellectual reqiurements for the children to meet were probably different to that of his superiors, allowing some to slip through the net.
The general attitude to disability, especially severe learning disabilities was one of contentment even by some of the more caring places.

I am shocked that he was held in such high regard before this, as debate and discussion on this subject isn't new.

I think we must also remember that intellectually disabled, autistic and other disabled people are still suffering abuse and death in state-funded institutions today. Dehumanising disabled people is not a thing of the past.

It's does come across like the writer can't fully understand the context of living in a Nazi occupied country doesn't it.

Yes, CrippledScholar's piece was closest to my view I think.

I haven't read the full research paper yet and the book isn't out yet, but I think I will read them both.

@TerfinUSA your original thread was deleted, would you like to join this one?

this is where I fail at paging

Letters from Uta Frith and Sahil Singh Gujral in The Guardian, including this fabulous quote:
www.theguardian.com/society/2018/apr/22/what-we-must-learn-from-asperger-expose

What a fantastic quote.

I'm wondering if the sudden realisation / shock has anything to do with WWII and the holocaust not being taught in American schools, so this is a first introduction to many?