Nazi Eugenics Propaganda

The Nazi eugenics program used propaganda and design to dehumanize people with disabilities, reinforcing the idea that they were a burden on society. Nazi propaganda weaponized visual communication to segregate and oppress individuals with disabilities. 

Slogans like "Sterilization is Liberation, Not a Punishment" framed forced sterilization as a necessary and even beneficial measure. Graphic design reinforced these messages through powerful imagery, such as depicting disabled individuals as drains on national resources or using metaphors like sick trees being cut down to protect the forest. By integrating these visual narratives into public exhibitions, educational materials, and official campaigns, the Nazis sought to normalize and gain public support for their inhumane policies.

These posters emphasized Social Darwinist ideas, equating the elimination of the weak with natural selection, while medical courts and public health initiatives were presented as scientific and rational. The combination of persuasive design and state-controlled messaging ensured that eugenics laws were widely accepted, ultimately leading to the forced sterilization of 400,000 people and the euthanasia of thousands more.