Sympathy for the Devil.

[Twilight Hue]

Last known Nazi in New York deported earlier this year back to Germany. Stripped of US citizenship, his fate is sealed as it was determined he lied upon entering the US under false pretenses. His fate lies in the hands of German authorities as they decide what to do with them.

He's 95 years old. Had lived a quiet life in New York City until recently. From some accounts it appears he was only around 16 years old during his tenure as a guard with the Third Reich.

Ex-Nazi Guard in U.S., Now 95, Is Deported to Germany

He's 95 so it's likely he's not going to have a decade more to live anyways so it begs the question after all this time, should sympathy had been afforded to this man in light of his age and infirmity, or is the Second World War never going to be over until every Nazi is in his or her grave?

 

[Altfish]

I fear it is not me or you who should make the decision, it is the survivors and the families of survivors who could display mercy.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I fear it is not me or you who should make the decision, it is the survivors and the families of survivors who could display mercy.

I tend to go that route as well. From what I hear , he's already been charged in Germany as guilty of war crimes since his deportation. I'm not sure if he's been sentenced yet or not as I've been unable to find any articles so far.

 

[Curious George]

Last known Nazi in New York deported earlier this year back to Germany. Stripped of US citizenship, his fate is sealed as it was determined he lied upon entering the US under false pretenses. His fate lies in the hands of German authorities as they decide what to do with them.

He's 95 years old. Had lived a quiet life in New York City until recently. From some accounts it appears he was only around 16 years old during his tenure as a guard with the Third Reich.

Ex-Nazi Guard in U.S., Now 95, Is Deported to Germany

He's 95 so it's likely he's not going to have a decade more to live anyways so it begs the question after all this time, should sympathy had been afforded to this man in light of his age and infirmity, or is the Second World War never going to be over until every Nazi is in his or her grave?

I am not so sure this is justice.

 

[Jumi]

Big mistake at 16 to be recruited for the German government and followed their orders.

 

[VoidCat]

I am not so sure this is justice.

I agree...He was a young 16 year old and probably brainwashed. I get that the Nazi were horrible(severe understatement)but he was a 16 year old. What kind of person holds someone accountable for something that happened 79 years ago that the person did in there teens and most likely was brainwashed? And what did he do after he got out of the Third Reich? Was he the same person and is he anti-Semitic today? His ideas could have changed so much since then. I feel sympathy for him. Ultimately I think this shows how society sees justice. But an eye for an eye leads the whole world blind and this issue is very complex. If he hasn't hurt anyone since then then they shouldn't kill him. He'll be dead soon anyway. Probably hated. For some reason I'm reminded of Paul who killed hundreds of Christians and yet then became their biggest sympathizer and even a believer. People's beliefs can change. So what are his beliefs now?

 

[VoidCat]

Big mistake at 16 to be recruited for the German government and followed their orders.

It is but what if it wasn't his fault? What if his parents insisted on it or something? Not right to kill anyone not right to hurt anyone but was he brainwashed?Was his beliefs then different from now? Did he ever defied authority? What kind of person is he now? This was 79 years ago should someone be accountable for there actions after that long if they feel remorse? Does he feel remorse?

 

[VoidCat]

This reminds me of Simon Wiesenthal's book The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness.Never read it but it happened after an event where a Nazi asked him(a jewish person
)for forgiveness.

 

[Revoltingest]

Last known Nazi in New York deported earlier this year back to Germany. Stripped of US citizenship, his fate is sealed as it was determined he lied upon entering the US under false pretenses. His fate lies in the hands of German authorities as they decide what to do with them.

He's 95 years old. Had lived a quiet life in New York City until recently. From some accounts it appears he was only around 16 years old during his tenure as a guard with the Third Reich.

Ex-Nazi Guard in U.S., Now 95, Is Deported to Germany

He's 95 so it's likely he's not going to have a decade more to live anyways so it begs the question after all this time, should sympathy had been afforded to this man in light of his age and infirmity, or is the Second World War never going to be over until every Nazi is in his or her grave?

I thought that illegal entry into the country wasn't a crime.
While ex-Nazis might deserve selective prosecution, it's
still selective. I don't think enforcement of laws should be
based upon politics.

 

[Sanzbir]

In my opinion, you need to either prosecute many Vietnam War Veterans, or you need to leave people like this guy alone.

Leaving one class alone because "they were just following orders" while charging the other class and denying them the same excuse is a blatant double-standard.

Either it can be excused for just being a young kid who didn't know better following orders of their superior, or the crimes are inexcusable and they need to be held accountable, both this guy and many Vietnam vets. Both positions are justifiable to hold, but not this half-and-half, excusable-only-when-our-side-does-it stuff.

 

[Nakosis]

Last known Nazi in New York deported earlier this year back to Germany. Stripped of US citizenship, his fate is sealed as it was determined he lied upon entering the US under false pretenses. His fate lies in the hands of German authorities as they decide what to do with them.

He's 95 years old. Had lived a quiet life in New York City until recently. From some accounts it appears he was only around 16 years old during his tenure as a guard with the Third Reich.

Ex-Nazi Guard in U.S., Now 95, Is Deported to Germany

He's 95 so it's likely he's not going to have a decade more to live anyways so it begs the question after all this time, should sympathy had been afforded to this man in light of his age and infirmity, or is the Second World War never going to be over until every Nazi is in his or her grave?

So he was deported as an illegal alien? Didn't we just have a judge ruling that all illegal alien deportees have to be returned to the US under a renewed asylum case?

 

[Woberts]

In my opinion, you need to either prosecute many Vietnam War Veterans,

That's exactly what should be happening.

 

[Sanzbir]

That's exactly what should be happening.

Good, that's a consistent standard.

 

[Stanyon]

In my opinion, you need to either prosecute many Vietnam War Veterans

War is a nasty business but there is a big difference in a national policy to commit atrocities and soldiers acting on illegal orders from individual officers in the field or acting individually. Some have been prosecuted and I'd say it is reasonable to assume that among those that were present at places where war crimes occurred in Vietnam some were conscientious objectors but were unable to do anything about it.