be merely silly gossip but a gossip which became dangerous because it was unscrupulous. The above applies in corresponding measure to all other cases tried before the People’s Court. I, therefore, would like to ask you, Mr. President, to make a special endeavor especially that only such judges will preside in particularly important political cases, who master the material involved also along political lines and who warrant that they are able not only to pass just sentences but also by their manner of conducting the proceedings to convince those present of the correctness of the sentence. If any difficulties as to personnel should occur here, please let me have your oral report. Heil Hitler! Yours DR. THIERACK 5. HEREDITARY HEALTH COURTS[137] PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NG-715 PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 112 LAW OF 14 JULY 1933 FOR THE PREVENTION OF PROGENY WITH HEREDITARY DISEASES (GESETZ ZUR VERHUETUNG ERBKRANKEN NACHWUCHSES) 1933 REICHSGESETZBLATT, PART I, PAGE 529 The Reich government has enacted the following law, which is promulgated herewith: Article 1 1. Whoever is afflicted with a hereditary disease can be sterilized by operation, if according to experience of medical science a hereditary impairment of his progeny, either physical or mental, is to be expected in all likelihood. 2. Whoever suffers from one of the following diseases is afflicted with a hereditary disease according to this law-- (1) Hereditary imbecility. (2) Schizophrenia. (3) Circular (manic-depressive) psychosis. (4) Hereditary epilepsy. (5) Hereditary St. Vitus’ dance (Huntingtonian Chorea). (6) Hereditary blindness. (7) Hereditary deafness. (8) Bad hereditary physical malformation. 3. Any person suffering from chronic alcoholism can also be sterilized. Article 2 1. The right to file such an application rests with the person to be sterilized. If he is incompetent or has been put under tutelage because of feeble mindedness or being under 18 years of age, this right rests with the legal representative and is subject to approval by the court of guardianship. In all other cases of limited competence, the consent of the legal representative is needed for the application. In case an adult person has been under guardianship, the guardian’s consent is mandatory. 2. A certificate of a physician, approved in Germany, has to be attached to this application, stating that the person to be sterilized has been familiarized with the meaning and the consequences of a sterilization. 3. The application can be rescinded. Article 3 Sterilization can also be proposed by-- 1. A public health officer.