Social Work Under Nazism

Social work practice, while focused on the “person in environment,” often overlooks the fact that social work itself functions as a profession within the greater context of political choices and changes within national and international environments. Close examination of social work practice within this greater macro socionationalistic context is imperative to take into account the intricate workings of politics within the profession. This paper uses a historical analysis of the social work profession in Germany, during the development of social welfare in the Weimar Republic, and changes that incurred when the Nazi Third Reich came to power. Analysis of social work practice in Nazi Germany provides essential implications for current ethical social work practice, as well as issues for further research.