The Devil's Castle: Nazi Eugenics, Euthanasia, and How Psychiatry's Troubled History Reverberates Today

by Susanne Paola Antonetta

The Devil’s Castle delves into the forgotten history of eugenics and links it to present-day psychiatry to explain how we as a culture continue to get mind care so wrong

In The Devil’s Castle, Susanne Paola Antonetta weaves a haunting narrative that confronts the darkest chapters of psychiatric history while offering a bold vision for the future of mental health care. In 1939, the eugenics movement growing throughout the West did its worst in Nazi Germany. Through the Aktion T4 euthanasia program, five asylums and an abandoned jail were transformed into gas chambers. Tens of thousands of lives—predominantly adults with neuropsychiatric conditions—were extinguished in those structures, ultimately paving the way for the horrors of the Holocaust.

Interlacing her experiences of psychosis with the complex history of psychiatry, Antonetta sheds light on the intersections of madness and societal perceptions of mental difference. She brings to life the stories of Paul Schreber and Dorothea Buck, two historical figures who act as models for mind care and acceptance.

This gripping exploration traverses the spectrum of neurodiversity, from the devastating consequences of dehumanization to the transformative potential of understanding and acceptance. With The Devil’s Castle, Antonetta not only unearths the failures of our past, but also envisions a more compassionate, enlightened approach to consciousness and mental health care. This is a story of tragedy, resilience, and hope—a rallying cry for change that dares to challenge the limits of how we define and support the human mind.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Psychology, Science, Mental Health, War, Crime

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 23, 2025

About the author

An American poet and author who is most widely known for her book Body Toxic: An Environmental Memoir. In 2001, Body Toxic was named by the New York Times as a "Notable Book". An excerpt of "Body Toxic" was published as a stand-alone essay which was recognized as a "Notable Essay" in the 1998 Best American Essays 1998 anthology. She has published several prize-winning collections of poems, including Bardo, a Brittingham Prize in Poetry winner, and the poetry books Petitioner, Glass, and most recently The Lives of The Saints. She currently resides in Washington with her husband and adopted son. She is widely published both in newspapers such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, as well as in literary journals including Orion, Brevity, JuxtaProse Literary Magazine, Seneca Review, and Image. She is the current Editor-in-Chief of Bellingham Review.

Reviews

[Norah S · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had such high hopes for this book. What a topic to write about - so important and interesting.

Unfortunately the author tried to include 3 different books with small connections but that didn’t work in one book. Because of this, the subtitle is not accurate.

The author included her memoir, the stories of 2 patients, and the Nazi programs. The book bounces around - desperately in need of some sort of organization that is severely lacking. Also editing. Because the organization doesn’t exist, there is so much repetition.

I’m so frustrated with how this book ended up because it really could’ve been 3 great separate books with some further attention and work.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really admire what this book accomplished — digging into the past and seeing how German sterilization of mentally ill/disabled people preceded and coincided with their villainization of Jews — but didn't hold my attention all the way through. A lot of the German names in the Holocaust era were referred to and dropped, but that's a symptom of such a far-reaching book. The way the author integrates her own story is radically and refreshingly personal and I thought it was a great touch. Definitely has a target audience.

[Mike Cross · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a completely disjointed book that is far too much memoir and too little history and fact. The author appears to believe that injecting themselves into every discussion is necessary and enlightening to the reader, it is not and often as annoying as unnecessary. There is no overall theme to the book, however there could have been several, and is just a plow job to get through. Not recommended for anyone except maybe friends of the author.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I REALLY wanted to like , i'm giving it a generous 3 stars instead.
This book isn't really sure what it wants to be and instead tries to be ALL the things. I think if Antonetta would have stuck with just one theme and really focused on that with small anecdotes here or there, it could have worked.

It was simply trying to hard and it's a shame, because I think the intention of the book gets lost in there somewhere.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5?