The book traces the evolution of German medical ethics from humanitarian "mercy killing" concepts in the early 20th century to the state-sponsored Aktion T4 program. Key Themes and Arguments Euthanasia Program and Aktion T4 | Holocaust Encyclopedia

Death and Deliverance: "Euthanasia" in Germany, c. 1900–1945 by Michael Burleigh is widely regarded as the first comprehensive study in English of the Nazi regime's systematic murder of approximately 200,000 mentally and physically disabled people.