EICHBERG

The »children’s ward« at the Eichberg sanatorium and nursing home near the town of Eltville was in operation from March or early April 1941 until March 1945. It was the first of two »children’s wards« in Hesse. The medical director of the clinic was Friedrich Mennecke, who was also an expert consultant for »Aktion T4’« (Operation T4). His deputy, Walter Schmidt, was responsible for managing the »children’s ward«.

An existing building on the institution’s grounds was used for the »children’s ward«. Children up to the age of nine were housed there, while older children and adolescents were housed in other wards together with adult patients. At least 476 children and adolescents died during the existence of the »children’s ward«. New »euthanasia« doctors were also »trained« in Eichberg, including the head of the Stuttgart »children’s ward«, Magdalene Schütte.

After the war, Friedrich Mennecke was sentenced to death for his crimes. He died in 1947 before the sentence was carried out, presumably from tuberculosis or suicide. Walter Schmidt confessed to killing 30 to 40 children with his own hands and was initially sentenced to life imprisonment. In 1951, this sentence was reduced to ten years. He was released just two years later after numerous citizens and newspaper articles had publicly demanded his release. He then practised illegally as a doctor without a licence in the Hattenheim area.

Two nurses also confessed to killing children. They were sentenced to four and eight years in prison and released early.