He's 89 years old....

Yeah. He's probably had a nice, pleasant life with a family and a safe place to live. The victims? What did they have?

He's being extradited because we have an agreement with Germany to help them when they are pursuing someone in the US who's been accused of a crime in Germany. I doubt that there's anything in that agreement that specifies "not older than..."

His age and health don't matter one iota. If he's convicted, fine; let him go to prison. No doubt he'll be treated much better there than the concentration camp victims were.
 
I suspect a lot of this is political in nature. Some prosecuter is out to make their mark in history.

As a guard was he much more than a prisoner himself?

Did he have the option of walking away and refuse to obey orders?

Did these killings take place willy nilly at the whim of the guards or were they organized and ordered by higher up?

Weren't the officers who planned and gave the orders following orders?

It seems this should have been settled a long time ago.
 
Personally I lost many members of my family in the concentration camp.. I am talking of way over 35 members if not closer to 50 in total..
Yes it was many years ago, but don't tell me the incident still doesn't hurt...
They didn't have a chance at all, so why should someone that was involved have a chance ?????
 
Because we are more civilised. I agree that there is no statute of limitations for war crimes but even a war criminal has the right to a fair trial. Especially a war criminal. Is he still fit to defend himself? These are important questions.
 
He was 20 years old when the war ended in 1945 which means he was a boy of 15 when it started. He was (I think) a guard on the trains and not an executioner. He has lived lawfully ever since the war. I would leave his judgement to God at this stage. He's hardly likely to survive extradition and trial in Germany.

I'm reminded of Portia's speech in the Merchant of Venice.

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes
The thronèd monarch better than his crown.
Click to expand...
Even though the Nazis were mercilous, I still think a more civilised society can afford to show it.
However, I guess the Germans are the ones in the driver's seat on this one. They are within their legal rights.
 
Even the ones who recruited as mere boys towards the end of the war ?
What about the child soldiers of Africa ? They have committed some horrific crimes but we don't consider them monsters.
We can see that they are victims too.

I've had children and now grandchildren, and I can muster some compassion for such as these.
Justice must be served, but in some cases clemency is appropriate.
Without hearing all the details, I can be open to that outcome in this case.
 
He would have been recruited into the Hitler Youth as a young boy. It was not optional.
He would have been called up for active service. Again not optional.
His assignment wouldn't have been optional either. He could hardly refuse.
This 89 year old man could not have been one of the masterminds of the Final Solution.
This is not an Eichmann or a Hess that we are talking about.
 
Yes I agree, Meanderer, but the people still pursuing these old Nazis would see it differently.
For them it is more personal. I can see their point of view but I see it a bit differently.
 

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