ID# 1915:
"Eugenics in Austria," Eugenics Review (vol. 26:4), highlighting the moderating influence of Catholicism on eugenic programs
Date:
1935
Pages: (1|2|3)
Source:
Cold Spring Harbor, ERO, Eugenical News, 26

&quote;Eugenics in Austria,&quote; Eugenics Review (vol. 26:4), highlighting the moderating influence of Catholicism on eugenic programs

260 The Eugenics Review for Human Heredity and Endocrinology ([italics]Verein f[umlaut over 'u']r menschliche Erblichkeitslehre und Endolrinologie[end italics]) in Vienna. In former years a course in eugenics was held at the University of Vienna by Professor Heinrich Reichel. It was never attended by more than a very few undergraduates. In 1933, Reichel was appointed director of the hygienic institute of the medical school at Graz University, and as a result eugenics has disappeared from the Vienna medical curriculum. The general Press shows no interest for eugenical problems; nor does there exist in the whole of Austria a single scientific or popular journal devoted totally or partially to eugenics. 3. The Roman Catholic Point of View The "New Austria" is a catholic authoritarian State; its government is catholic; its new constitution claims to realize the principles laid down in the papal encyclical "Quadragesimo Anno." The Roman Church dominates Austria, and it is therefore of primary importance to know its position and that of its adherents towards the problems of eugenics. The official document thereon is the encyclical "Casti Connuii." Being a message from the Pope it imposes binding rules on the conduct of the faithful. It has been so thoroughly surveyed in eugenics literature* that it seems unnecessary to deal with it again here. On the other hand, it may be of interest to discuss an attempt that has been made to translate the general principles of "Casti Connubii" into concrete proposals. In January 1934 a meeting was held in Vienna to discuss "The Position of the Family in Nation and State." Its sponsors were a group of catholic sociologists; and besides them were present a great number of priests, politicians, and carefully selected scientists and medical men. Some members of the government also took an active part. Many resolutions were passed, most of them touching on problems of interest to eugenicists. The most important points are summarized below. 1. Introduction of eugenical instruction in the popular and the secondary schools and of a compulsory course in eugenics in the medical curriculum. 2. Establishment of "maternity schools," where the knowledge necessary for the housewife and mother should be imparted by specially trained teachers. To every maternity school should be attached a home for mothers and infants where the girls might do the practical work. The maternity schooling should be compulsory and free of charge. Consent to marriage was to be given only if a certificate from a maternity school was presented. 3. Establishment of numerous marriage consultation centres, organized on denominational lines. 4. Introduction of compulsory health certificates before engagement of at any rate before marriage. 5. Prohibition of consanguineous marriages according to canonical law. The eugenic value of the next two points seems to be very doubtful: 6. Suppression of the production and the sale of contraceptives and also of all popular lectures about birth-control. Needless to say, abortion is to remain a capital crime. 7. Prohibition of castration and sterilization for any except therapeutic purposes - in plain terms, the prohibition of eugenic sterilization. It was resolved that the violation of this prohibition should be punishable by imprisonment. A number of further proposals encroach on the economic field: 8. Income-tax rebates for families with many children. Appropriate reductions should also be granted from education fees, and train, tram and bus fares. 9. Raising of the bachelor tax. 10. Higher family allowances for public servants, beginning from the third child. [base of left column footnote]*Eugenics Review, April 1931, p. 41; July 1931, p. 103; and July 1933, p.78. [end]

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