Oskar Gröning, the “accountant of Auschwitz”, has been sentenced to four years emprisonment for “acting as accessory to murder” in 300’000 cases. However, it is all but certain that his sentence will be carried out.
(KL) - The trial against Oskar Gröning is over. The court of Luneburg (Lower Saxony, Germany) has found the defendant guilty of “acting as accessory to murder” in 300’000 cases. Gröning had admitted that he was in charge of collecting the valuables of concentration camp prisoners, mostly Jews, and sending them to the “Reichshauptamt” in Berlin. Throughout the trial, Gröning had maintained his line of defense, stating his “guilty, but not responsible”. In his final declaration, read by one of his lawyers, he said: “I am aware that having worked in the administration of the prisoners valuables makes me guilty, however small my own contribution may be”. Most of the joint plaintiffs would have preferred a straight excuses, but earlier in the trial, Gröning had refused an excuse, saying “Given the dimension of what has happended, I can only present my excuses to God”.
Four years in prison for assisting a mass murder of 300’000 victims - this judgement raises more questions than delivering answers. Most probably, Oskar Gröning will not go to jail, since at 94 years, his health may cause the court to suspend the sentence. Even more surprising than the judgement itself, was the request of the prosecuter who had demanded three and a half years, minus 22 months, because the trial took place so late. This argument is ridiculous, since the fact that Oskar Gröning, former SS (and thus volunteer in Auschwitz) could live an entire life without ever being molested by the German justice. In 1977, an investigation against Gröning had been opened, but closed in 1985 on the grounds that no material evidence could be presented against the defendant.
However, the joint plaintiffs, survivors of the death camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau, showed a great dignity throughout the trial. Eva Kor, whose twin sister and parents were murdered in Auschwitz, approached and hugged Gröning as a mark of forgiveness. “We are satisfied that people committing crimes against humanity can be prosecuted until the end of their lives”, said Thomas Walter, one of the lawyers representing some 70 joint plaintiffs, “for the first time, a defendant accused of NS crimes has declared himself guilty and has presented an excuse”. In their first reactions, several of the joint plaintiffs said that the judgement was far too light.
The fact that German justice has waited 70 years to lead a trial against the “accountant of Auschwitz” raises even more questions. How comes that Germany after World War II has only tried a handful of SS criminals, considering that the killing machine of the Nazis involved almost 500’000 people ? The vast majority of SS criminals has never responded for their crimes, except for 22 defendants in the Frankfurt Auschwitz trial conducted by the brave prosecutor Fritz Bauer who died under strange circomstances in 1968.
The judgement is not yet valid and Oskar Grönings lawyers may file an appeal. This means that the trial could as well enter another stage, thus further delaying a possible application of the sentence. But chances are very low that at 94 years of age, Oskar Gröning will ever see a prisoner cell from the inside. Which leaves observers of this trial with frustration.
Those who had hoped that Oskar Gröning would reveal new information about the functioning of the SS troops, especially about the mechanisms which transform normal people into cruel and bloody monsters acting beyond imagination, are also frustrated. Gröning did not give any new element, instead he showed that he still has some sort of admiration for the Nazi time. People will certainly remember this terrible phrase during the trial, when Gröning talked about the gate of the Auschwitz camp, carrying the sadly famous inscription “Arbeit macht frei” (work will render you free) - when talking about this gate, Gröning spoke about this “wonderful wrought-iron piece” - leaving the audience stunned.
This has been most probably the last trial regarding the Nazi crimes and many observers regret that the court did not sentence Gröning to life. Even if, at 94 years, the defendant will not enter a prison, a life sentence would have sent a clear message to those who commit crimes against humanity today. But four years for assisting in the murder of 300’000 victims ?
Crédit photo : Claude Truong-Ngoc / Eurojournalist(e)