Kent School
The Franciscan monks who built the complex used to look after physically and mentally disabled people in here; until under Nazi rule they were forced out by extremely high taxes and rumours of various scandals (priests ... it comes with the territory really!)
Now under Nazi rule it was turned into a institution where due to the eugenics laws physically and mentally disabled children were sent after being compulsory registered, it was one of the first places to "try out" the euthanasia programme, with over 30 children being put to death by a lethal injection. Shortly afterwards the rest of "patients" (over 800) were sent to other institutions most never to be seen again.
After the war the buildings were offered back to the monks (at a price) but they decided against it having lost the sway that they once held in the area. The British took over and it became a Forces hospital for a while and later the need for education of army children saw it turned into a school, some pupils ended up going to school in the very building they were born into!
I can’t quite remember when it closed but I do know that the chapel was last used in 1978.
Now under Nazi rule it was turned into a institution where due to the eugenics laws physically and mentally disabled children were sent after being compulsory registered, it was one of the first places to "try out" the euthanasia programme, with over 30 children being put to death by a lethal injection. Shortly afterwards the rest of "patients" (over 800) were sent to other institutions most never to be seen again.
After the war the buildings were offered back to the monks (at a price) but they decided against it having lost the sway that they once held in the area. The British took over and it became a Forces hospital for a while and later the need for education of army children saw it turned into a school, some pupils ended up going to school in the very building they were born into!
I can’t quite remember when it closed but I do know that the chapel was last used in 1978.
