In 1937, the Hitler Youth handbook included this provocative passage: "The great genetic river of a people can suffer many impurities and injuries along the way ... diseased genes can develop within the bloodstream of a people ... these cannot be allowed to be passed on." From 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany used scientists and public-policy officials to create a program to "cleanse" German society, starting with the mass sterilization of "diseased" groups such as Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals and leading, of course, to the Holocaust in the name of Hitler's promised "master race." The National Archives (400 West Pershing Road, 816-268-8000) has Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race on exhibition, featuring artifacts, historic film footage and documents relating to the Nazi plan. The display is free and open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.
Tuesdays-Saturdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Starts: March 16. Continues through June 10, 2010
