Join us on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Juristische Bibliothek im Rathaus, located at Marienplatz 8, 3rd Floor, Room 367, 80331 Munich, for an insightful event exploring the life of Moritz Bendit and the Neufriedenheim sanatorium.

Moritz Bendit (1863-1940), a Jewish merchant from Fürth, suffered from mental illness and was a patient at the Neufriedenheim facility for over 40 years. During the Nazi regime, he faced severe stigmatization and threat. At the age of 77, he was transferred to the Eglfing-Haar institution and, along with more than 190 other Jewish patients, was deported to the Hartheim killing center on September 20, 1940, where he tragically lost his life to gas poisoning.

The upcoming publication, Volume 15 of the 'Studies on Jewish History and Culture in Bavaria,' sheds light on his life story, his physician Dr. Ernst Rehm, who transitioned from a national-liberal stance to national socialism, and the historical significance of the Neufriedenheim sanatorium amidst the insufficiently researched nationwide 'Euthanasia' murders, particularly of Jewish institutional patients.

The event will feature a welcome address by Dr. Andreas Heusler, who will introduce the scientific book series. Ilse Macek from 'Gegen Vergessen - Für Demokratie e.V.' will provide thematic insights. Following this, author Reinhard Lampe and historian Dr. Sibylle von Tiedemann will discuss key aspects of the book and the historical context. To conclude, BR speaker Julia Cortis will read excerpts from Marieluise Fleisser's narrative 'Die im Dunkeln,' reflecting on her experiences as a patient at Neufriedenheim in 1938.