Starved to Death? Nutrition in Asylums During the World Wars

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare nutritional conditions in Swedish mental hospitals and institutions for “feebleminded” people during the two world wars with those in German institutions of the same era. During World War I, lack of food in Germany and Sweden led to high death rates at institutions containing many patients. During World War II, the Nazis used starvation as a means of killing disabled people. Restriction of food occurred even before the war began, and continued in private initiatives even though the official “euthanasia program” had ceased. In Sweden, rationing due to the war affected the nutritional conditions in institutions. There was, however, no division of inmates into “worthy” or “unworthy” eaters. Despite weight losses, there are no signs of higher death rates at Swedish institutions, except at Vipeholm. The discussion in the mass media about “killing disabled persons” at institutions and comparing their conditions to Nazi Germany seems to be based on statistical misconceptions.