Lebensborn was founded in 1935 by Heinrich Himmler. The name of the program translates as “source of life”. This is what the Nazis attempted to create with the Lebensborn program. Lebensborn's goal was to breed what Hitler considered the "perfect" or "superior" race: Aryans or specifically people with blond hair and blue eyes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Lebensborn was instrumental in the creation of secret birthing centers, hidden identities, and the kidnapping of countless children. From 1935 to 1945, the program encouraged women deemed racially “fit” to have children and give them to the Reich. Germany had experienced a decline in births after World War I, which this program attempted to offset so that Hitler could implement his plan to make Aryan rule reign supreme. For this to be accomplished, the Aryans had to be bred or kidnapped because Germany lacked people meeting the genetic criteria. Himmler, the leader of the SS, was the spearhead of Lebensborn. In 1935, he offered women access to delivery rooms if they could prove their child met purity standards. The facilities were comfortable, hidden and everything would be provided for babies and their mothers. Once the babies were born, they were handed over to the SS. From there, babies were usually placed in the care of elite families and taught Nazi ideology. Himmler strongly encouraged the SS and German military to have children with Aryan women and eventually ordered them to do so. The Lebensborn program evolved as the war progressed and began kidnapping children. If a child was considered “racially pure,” he or she was removed from his or her family, placed in Lebensborn homes, and adopted by the Germans. In Poland alone, it is estimated that between 100,000 and 200,000 children have been kidnapped. Any children who failed racial purity tests were killed or sent to orphanages. The Lebensborn program continued to grow and soon had several birth centers in Germany and its occupied countries. Birthing centers were places where mothers could escape social stigma and provide a bright future for their babies. An estimated 20,000 babies were born in Lebensborn homes. All of these children have suffered a lot of trauma. After the end of World War II, they became outcasts, just like their mothers. In German-occupied countries, mothers were considered traitors. Lebensborn children who know their origins are confronted with many astonishing facts: their fathers - and perhaps even their mothers - were devoted Nazis and they have no real identity. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper from our expert now. Hitler and Himmler were never able to create their perfect race to rule their empire, but their program left a huge impact on the children who came from them. More recently, children from Lebensborn have come forward to speak about their experiences in the birth center or the horrors associated with kidnappings...