Hadamar killing centre

The Hadamar killing centre was a Nazi-era euthanasia facility located at Hadamar in the German state of Hesse, where patients were murdered during the Second World War. The site is now preserved as a memorial and documentation centre.

The former clinic buildings contain an exhibition and educational facilities explaining the systematic killings carried out there; outside areas include commemorative installations and burial grounds. The memorial presents archival material, personal documents and testimony to explain the events and the victims.

During the period of Nazi rule the hospital buildings were used by the state as part of the systematic programme of so-called euthanasia against psychiatric patients and others. After the war the site was the subject of legal proceedings and later developed into a memorial to remember victims and to provide public education.

The complex is located in the town of Hadamar in Hesse, Germany, and is reachable from regional transport links. It is a site of historical importance within the local landscape and is visited for remembrance and research purposes.

• Visitor focus: Visits are focused on remembrance and education; guided visits and exhibitions provide historical context about the Nazi euthanasia programs carried out at the site.
• Memorial nature: The site is a federal memorial documenting crimes committed at one of the main Nazi-era euthanasia centres in Germany and includes names and records where available.

What to See #

• Documentation Centre: An on-site documentation and educational centre housed at the former clinic buildings presenting exhibitions about the victims and the history of the site.
• Memorial site: A landscaped memorial area including commemorative plaques and a place for reflection located at the former burial and cremation grounds associated with the killings.