Your last sentence is incorrect in its logic; think about the countries Germany occupied, or the families the nazis killed, or even for gravity's sake the countries other than Great Britain who fought against the nazis, like the USA.
What you're saying is that anyone on trial for murder could say in his defense that he had his reasons for committing his crimes. Oh, ok, run along, but play nice from now on.
Not all Germans were Nazis, just as not all Americans are Republicans. German youth were required to serve in the military, no matter the party in power. However, to make a career of being a Nazi is wholly another thing. Is time the crucial element in your "reasoning"? If he were caught 60 years sooner, would he be more more guilty? Do the intervening years make him less guilty? Do you have a soft spot for old people? There is no statute of limitations on murder, especially mass murder.
He is not German. He was Ukrainian and when the Nazis overran that part of the USSR he signed up to lead a Ukrainian puppet military unit. He could have avoided this by being a farmer or a worker in a factory. His role was strictly voluntary.
And there were Germans who 3orked underground against the Nazis, or like Willy Ley fled to the USA. No Nazi deserved sympathy.
well he was Ukrainian, if it's the same guy who was in the SS Galatian division in the press recently, and he's wanted not for killing jews but poles, during the uprising in 1944..
born here born there, you should have your own code of morality regardless.
he was a company commander or a sturnbanfuhrer, a relatively minor rank in the military ss, the allied nuremberg trials took the view small fry unless specific allegations of war crimes were alleged shouldn't be pursued, I'd rather respect their historic decision than see 94 year olds chased through the courts.
I hope he is hung in public
I do not support what he did when he was a Nazi, but I feel like it was something that was honestly not "His Fault" Here's my reasoning:
In the 1920's when Hitler came to power, he began to teach Germans that Jewish people were "Dirty" and "Ruined Society" Therefor they started to believe that because that was what they were told from an early age. They were told "Hitler is saving Germany" and "Germans are met to rule the world". When they became Nazi soldiers/supporters they believed they were being patriotic to Germany, and were fighting for what they thought was right. Its like when Americans are told from a early age "America is the land for the free" and "Americans can get though anything", they honestly believe that (Usually) and if they sign up for the army they think they are patriotic to America and fight for what they think is right. It was simply how society was in that time in Germany, its like when there was a lot of segregation and racism in south in the US, a lot of people thought that's just the way it was, now a lot of old people look back and wish they would have done differently. In the 1920's 30's and 40's they were brainwashed to do what they were doing and after the war many Germans realized they had done wrong. Even if you did oppose the Nazi's during that time, you would be killed or put in a concentration and many people had families they cared about and could not let that happen. I'm almost sure that if you grew up in an environment that had Nazi beliefs from an early age, you would be a Nazi. This man just was doing what he thought was right for his country, I'm sure he has regretted for many years what he did during that time. Its not like Adolf Hitler himself was found, if that was the case I would say put him to death. But I think all the hatred is being poured into this poor old man, who could die any day now. Its not like he has had any post war Nazi activity, and even wrote a memoir about what happened and how sad it was.
Its just everyone keeps saying "Put that sick man to death" or "He's lucky he made it to 94, unlike all the Jewish people he killed", I think people should be more understanding about the case. What do you think about him, explain why you think what you think.
