The Lebensborn

1. The Lebensborn The Fount of Life

2. The Ideal of German Motherhood The cover of a Nazi publication on race, "Neues Volk" (New People), portrays motherhood with this ideal image of an "Aryan" mother and child. Germany, April 1936.__________Library of Congress

3. The Ideal of German Motherhood Nazi policy encouraged racially "acceptable" couples to have as many children as possible. Because of the number of children in this Nazi party official's family, the mother earned the "Mother's Cross." Germany, date uncertain.__________DIZ Muenchen GMBH, Sueddeutscher Verlag Bilderdienst

4. The Ideal of German Motherhood The Honor Cross of German Motherhood

5. The Ideal of German Motherhood German propaganda photograph of a kindergarten for German infants promotes the nurturing role of women on the home front. Germany, 1941.__________United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

6. The Ideal of German Motherhood Photograph of German women being taught how to take care of infants. These lessons took place in Lebensborn homes.__________United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

7. The Ideal of German Motherhood Photograph of German women being taught how to take care of infants. These lessons took place in Lebensborn homes.__________United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

8. The Ideal of German Motherhood In a movie made about the Lebensborn in Germany after WWII, a doctor measures a German woman to see if she has the proper Aryan features to bear German children.

9. The Lebensborn Program

10. The Lebensborn Program

11. The Lebensborn Program

12. The Lebensborn Program

13. The Ideal of German Motherhood Birth certificate delivered by the power station of Lebensborn. The words "Vater" (Father) and "Mutter" (Mother) surrounded here in red, were barred: the children of Führer do not need parents

14. The Ideal of German Motherhood Mothers who have given birth in a National Socialist maternity home wait to have their babies examined by a doctor. Fuerstenberg, Germany, March 28, 1937.__________Wide World Photo

15. The Ideal of German Motherhood Order of the S.S. to the last filsHommes of the S.S. • On order of Führer, you were, as a last wire of your family, withdrawn from the front. This measurement was taken in the interest of the people and the State so that your family does not die out. • The men of the S.S. have as a practice to accept the destiny such as it presents themselves and nothing to make to transform it. Your duty is thus to make in kind, and as quickly as possible, as you are not any more the last wire by procreation and the birth of children of good blood. • Aim to ensure within one year the line of your aïeux and your family so that you can again be available for the combat in first line. Heinrich Himmler In this letter addressed to the last male children of a family, Himmler, chief of the S.S., give them the order to make children and withdraws them so that they can do it. Many will use Lebensborn for that.

16. The Lebensborn Program

17. The Lebensborn Program

18. The Lebensborn Program

19. The Lebensborn Program

20. The Lebensborn Program

21. The Ideal of German Motherhood After the war, the German Red Cross tries to find the parents of the children of Lebensborn. Under the photographs, most of the time, the mention "Name: unbekannt "(Name: unknown)

22. The Lebensborn Program

23. The Lebensborn Program Many Lebensborn children were put into psychiatric wards after the war because their mothers were considered crazy for wanting to sleep with German soldiers.