Alleged Nazi guard charged over WWII killings

[Felch]

KrazyHorse

Well, it's not a hard and fast rule. Naturally there are exceptions.

The world would be better off without war. It is non-productive, and diverts resources from more beneficial activities. However, I'm not silly enough to believe that war can be abolished or any of that nonsense. I'd simply prefer a short and decisive conflict over a drawn out war of attrition.

[Wernazuma III]

I guess my problem is, my definition is not quite all inclusive as Blaupanzers.
War is evil by defintion. The winner determines who was morally correct.
While " i was just following commands" shouldn't be the end all shield, I think about the stories from the red army. Political officers followed behind to shoot regular soldiers who didn't follow orders. There was no tribunal, just a quick death. WHen coercion is involved, knowing and not doing anything isn't totally evil. Now what constitutes sufficient coercion? That's a gray area. Which is why I like a little more proof then guilt by association. If the guy was guilty of atrocities and it can be proved, then go crazy on him. But to imprison an 89 year old guy just because he was in the wrong place seems a bit silly. GIVE ME SOME PROOF.

Quite late to enter the arena.

I'm generally with you - that there are incredibly many shades of grey in war time, esp. when you're on the side of an oppressive force and I wouldn't be so quick with judgements as KH is, but well, it's KH...

OTOH, those people were not simply "in the wrong place". SS membership was required for guards in the death camps (but not in "ordinary" concentration camps). If nothing more, they were convinced ideological Nazis because only staunch folllowers were let in such positions, esp. in the death camps like Sobibor or Treblinka.
Many guards may have had little knowledge of what really happened in the KZs or the extermination camps beforehand, and there were surely some who didn't participate in the killings with special zeal or felt repugnancy, even changing their ideological stance. Yet most of the guards really were overly sadistic and commited huge numbers of war crimes that go far beyond "I only followed orders", otherwise the system couldn't have worked so well.

[SlowwHand]

Iand before I bother to put an 89 year old man in prison for the rest of his life, I'd like a little REAL PROOF.

Just how long do you expect for the rest of his life? We're not talking about some spring chicken here.

[rah]

Quite late to enter the arena.

I'm generally with you - that there are incredibly many shades of grey in war time, esp. when you're on the side of an oppressive force and I wouldn't be so quick with judgements as KH is, but well, it's KH...

OTOH, those people were not simply "in the wrong place". SS membership was required for guards in the death camps (but not in "ordinary" concentration camps). If nothing more, they were convinced ideological Nazis because only staunch folllowers were let in such positions, esp. in the death camps like Sobibor or Treblinka.
Many guards may have had little knowledge of what really happened in the KZs or the extermination camps beforehand, and there were surely some who didn't participate in the killings with special zeal or felt repugnancy, even changing their ideological stance. Yet most of the guards really were overly sadistic and commited huge numbers of war crimes that go far beyond "I only followed orders", otherwise the system couldn't have worked so well.

I agree with you almost 100% but even you used the words "yet most of the guards". Even if that means 99%, there may be that 1 guy that wasn't. For life in prison, I just want to be sure it's not that 1 guy. I wouldn't need much, just something. 60 years laters it's hard to even get just something, so I don't really see the need. The deterent factor raised is another issue. If the person mentioning it believes that the death penalty doesn't deter anything, I don't see how this would either.

[Dinner]

64 years later. I'd say he got away with it.