A 100-year-old man alleged to have been a guard at a Nazi concentration camp is set to stand trial in Germany. The centenarian is being accused of being complicit in the murder of 3,518 people at the camp.
The man, whose name was not made public, allegedly worked as a prison guard at the Sachsenhausen camp in Berlin between 1942 and 1945. He is also believed to be a member of the SS Nazi militia. Thousands of captives were reportedly killed at the concentration camp, including those executed by firing squad and gas chambers.
Prosecutors said Monday that the man fit enough to stand trial. He is set to appear in court in October.
Prior to the setting of the trial date, the man had to undergo a medical assessment to ensure that he was fit to stand trial. Doctors determined that he was fit enough to appear in court for at least two-and-a-half hours per day.
According to one lawyer interviewed by a local newspaper, the complainants in the case were "just as old" and they are determined to seek justice. Local media reports said the trial may be the last ever to be held involving crimes committed during the last World War.
A German court has set an October trial date for a 100-year-old man who is charged with 3,518 counts of accessory to murder on allegations he served as a Nazi SS guard at a concentration camp on the outskirts of Berlin during World War II. https://t.co/rNKQA4Txpm — The Associated Press (@AP) August 2, 2021
History experts estimate that about 200,000 people were held captive at the Sachsenhausen. The prisoners included POWs, political opponents of the Nazi party, and members of persecuted groups. Those that didn't die by Nazi hands had perished due to hunger, disease, and forced labor.
Since a landmark ruling in 2011, where a former guard was convicted of mass murder, authorities have been attempting to track down former Nazi camp workers. The convicted former Nazi later died while his lawyers filed for an appeal. The ruling had set a legal precedent that has led to a global manhunt for former Nazi members.
Last year, a 93-year-old former concentration camp guard was also convicted of being complicit in the deaths of more than 5,000 prisoners. Following a medical exam, the man was deemed unfit for stand trial. Experts said the number of suspected former Nazi workers still alive is extremely low but prosecutors are still adamant about bringing them to justice. Most of those still alive worked for the Nazis while they were still teenagers.
