Helmut Quast

Helmut Quast was born on January 22, 1930, in Neuenfelde-Nincop in the Jork district of the Altes Land region. Little is known about his parents. His father, Jonny Quast, was a farmer, later a front-line soldier, and died in the war. His mother, Emma Matilde Quast, remarried after a failed first marriage to Helmut Quast’s father and gave birth to two more children. Helmut lived with his mother on the Kleenlof farm. After remarrying, they moved to Estebrügge and from there in 1936 to Borstel in the Stade district.

Helmut Quast’s admission to an institution was ordered by the medical officer of the Stade District Health Department. During an examination, the medical officer determined that Helmut was »stupid« and would be better off at a special school, where he could at least learn skills for later life. His homeroom teacher also supported the change of school.

The public health officer instructed the district welfare office to place Helmut in the Rotenburg Institutions of the Inner Mission, which had the required special school. He justified his decision by arguing that Helmut was »a danger to the other children and himself due to his unpredictability and treacherous nature.« He subsequently arrived at the Rotenburg Institutions on January 14, 1938, and from then on attended the lower grades of the institution’s school.

Although Helmut was a rather unremarkable »patient«, the doctors maintained his initial assessment and continued to classify him as having a »personality disorder.« The teachers at the special needs school assessed Helmut more discriminatingly than the doctors. The assessment sheet states: »Here, under supervision, one notices little of the dangerous tendencies recorded in the file.«

It wasn’t until 1939 that it was noted that his »rudeness« was becoming more apparent again. This was closely related to his father’s remarriage and his denial of a vacation with his mother. Such social factors, however, were not taken into account when assessing Helmut’s behavior. Shortly before his transfer to Lüneburg, the following entry was made: »Quite a difficult boy who always has to be encouraged to work.« In Lüneburg, the first entry in his medical file was made two months after his arrival: »No development, […] dull, listless boy, mostly distracted, simple-minded, and brutal toward other boys. Must be encouraged to do everything, occasionally helps with […].«

At the age of twelve, Helmut died on March 1, 1942, in the »children’s special ward.« The cause of death was given as »crupeous pneumonia.« It is almost certain that Helmut was killed with the drug Luminal. Like other children, Helmut’s body was autopsied. Three days after his death, Helmut was to be buried in the institution’s cemetery, today’s Nordwest Cemetery. However, there is no entry in the list of children’s graves in the Lüneburg city burial register from 1922 to 1948. To this day, it is unknown where Helmut Quast’s body was buried.