Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189
(215) 567-7710
FAX (215) 567-7850
Contact: Communications and Development
Free Library to Host United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race Traveling Exhibition
Exhibition explores how the abuse of science helped legitimize persecution in Nazi Europe
PHILADELPHIA April 27, 2012—The Free Library of Philadelphia is pleased to host the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s traveling exhibition Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race at Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street, from April 27 to July 8, 2012. This exhibition, which is free and open to the public, will be located in the second floor gallery of Parkway Central.
Deadly Medicine examines how Nazi leaders, in collaboration with individuals in professions traditionally charged with healing and the public good, used science to help legitimize persecution, murder, and genocide. From 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany carried out a campaign to “cleanse” German society of people viewed as biological threats to the nation’s “health.” Enlisting the help of physicians and other medically trained scientists, the Nazis developed racial health policies that started with the mass sterilization of “hereditarily diseased” persons and ended with the near annihilation of European Jewry.
“Deadly Medicine explores the Holocaust’s roots in then-contemporary scientific and pseudo-scientific thought,” explained curator Susan Bachrach of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “At the same time, it touches on complex ethical issues we face today, such as how societies acquire and use scientific knowledge and how they balance the rights of the individual with the needs of the larger community.”
“The Free Library is proud to host this compelling exhibition from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum,” said Free Library President and Director Siobhan A. Reardon. “As a community center for life-long learning, the Library is committed to hosting events and exhibitions, like Deadly Medicine, that encourage the critical examination of our past and its ramifications in the present day. I encourage all Philadelphians to visit Parkway Central to view this important exhibition.”
Deadly Medicine is made possible through the support the following donors: The David Berg Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Lester Robbins and Sheila Johnson Robbins Traveling and Temporary Exhibitions Fund, and the Dorot Foundation.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum exhibitions program is supported in part by the Lester Robbins and Sheila Johnson Robbins Special and Traveling Exhibitions Fund, established in 1990.
Please note: This exhibition contains difficult subject matter and imagery. It is recommended for visitors 11 years and older.
# # #
Free Library of Philadelphia
The Free Library of Philadelphia system consists of 49 branches, three regional libraries, the Parkway Central Library, and the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. With more than six million visits annually, the Free Library is one of the most widely used educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia.
United States Holocaust Museum
A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders to confront hatred, promote human dignity and prevent genocide. Its far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made possible by the generosity of donors nationwide through legacy and annual giving.
04/23/2012
Department of External Affairs, Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189
(215) 567-7710, FAX (215) 567-7850