The Dark History Of Asperger’s Syndrome
Warning I will be talking about the Holocaust in this article.
Many people are aware of Asperger’s Syndrome, which was removed from the DSM-5 in 2013. The diagnosis was a separate Diagnosis that simply meant that there was no speech delay at the age of 3.
What people aren’t aware of, is the term’s ties to the Holocaust.
Hanz Asperger was a Nazi.
Yes, that’s right, Asperger’s Syndrome was named after a Nazi.
Under Hitler’s power, the population of Germany, Austria, and beyond were classified to be fit, or unfit. During this time, Nazis labeled Autistic children as genetically inferior. If they were unable to conform to society, and work for the Nazis, they were sent to the gas chambers, which is where the term Asperger’s Syndrome comes in.
Asperger’s Syndrome was created to say: “Hey, these Autistics are the good ones. They can work for the Nazis so don’t send them to the gas chambers!”.
