The man, only publicly identified as Josef S., was convicted of more than 3,500 counts of accessory to murder and sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday.
Defendant Josef S hides his face behind a folder as he arrives for his trial in northeastern Germany in 2021. The 101-year-old former concentration camp guard was convicted Tuesday of more than 3,500 counts of accessory to murder.BERLIN — A 101-year-old man was convicted in Germany of more than 3,500 counts of accessory to murder on Tuesday for serving at the Nazis’ Sachsenhausen concentration camp during World War II.The man, who was identified by local media as Josef S.
Prosecutors had based their case on documents relating to an SS guard with the man’s name, date and place of birth, as well as other documents.The defendant’s lawyer had sought an acquittal. Defense attorney Stefan Waterkamp said after the pronouncement of the sentence that he would appeal the verdict, dpa reported.
“And it’s a very important thing because it gives closure to the relatives of the victims,” Zuroff added. “The fact that these people all of a sudden feel that their loss is being addressed and the suffering of their family who they lost in the camps is being addressed ... is a very important thing.”
Exact numbers on those killed vary, with upper estimates of some 100,000, though scholars suggest figures of 40,000 to 50,000 are likely more accurate.