Ulla Schmidt, former health minister and current chairwoman of Lebenshilfe, has drawn a parallel to the Nazi era in the ongoing political debate surrounding cuts to integration assistance. Speaking to the news portal T-Online, Schmidt stated that politics is currently at a “crossroads,” arguing that people with disabilities are increasingly being portrayed merely as a financial liability.
She added that when politicians suggest they can no longer afford integration support, many affected individuals respond with: “We cannot afford people with disabilities in this society.” Schmidt noted that she is experiencing a growing sense of insecurity among those requiring support, lamenting that “the language is becoming coarser, and insults and attacks against people with disabilities have been increasing for years.”
Schmidt stressed that if every person with support needs suddenly stopped needing assistance, they would naturally cease to use integration aid. “There would be no misuse,” she emphasized, adding in a pointed remark: “To put it bluntly: no one fakes being disabled.”
According to the head of Lebenshilfe, a societal shift toward the right-hand political spectrum inevitably targets people with disabilities. She referenced the National Socialists, who would label disabled people as “burden existences,” leading to the murder of tens of thousands-a horrifying memory that occurred less than 100 years ago. “We must be particularly vigilant here in Germany,” Schmidt warned. “Politics is at a crossroads: if rights are chipped away, you are making a choice against inclusion.” Conversely, strengthening these rights, she argued, would be a step toward greater democracy.
The former minister issued a stern warning against the proposed savings, stating that anyone who cuts integration support is effectively closing the door on a dignified life for people with disabilities. She cautioned that the removal of rights compromises self-determination. Without proper support, she warned, “it quickly becomes about merely ‘housing’ them or even dumping them into a nursing home, instead of enabling their participation in society.” Furthermore, Schmidt pointed to the history of care institutions, noting that past facilities often became places of dependency, neglect, and abuse. “We must absolutely not go back to that,” urged Schmidt.
