Should Nazi war criminals continue to be prosecuted?

[GhostLatte]

This is a very sensitive topic. Leave now if you do not like the sensitivity. Please be civil in the discussion.

 

[MichiS97]

Yes. Yes, definitely. Yes, without any exceptions.

 

[ThoD]

Why would someone feel offended? But anyway, on topic...

Depends if you are referring to the people who are still running away from the charges of their crimes or if you mean those on trial. Generally, I think people should get punished for whatever actions they did, both parties actually. So Nazi war criminals (that did an actual crime rather than the random bottom command guys following orders) should be prosecuted until they have been trialed and have received an adequate sentence. Not in a witch-trial way, but a civil one. However, you can't prosecute only the Nazi side, the other countries should be too, victorious or not. That's one thing I can never stand about history...

 

[GhostLatte]

Why would someone feel offended? But anyway, on topic...

Depends if you are referring to the people who are still running away from the charges of their crimes or if you mean those on trial. Generally, I think people should get punished for whatever actions they did, both parties actually. So Nazi war criminals (that did an actual crime rather than the random bottom command guys following orders) should be prosecuted until they have been trialed and have received an adequate sentence. Not in a witch-trial way, but a civil one. However, you can't prosecute only the Nazi side, the other countries should be too, victorious or not. That's one thing I can never stand about history...

Let's say we're talking about SS officers who actively took part in the Holocaust.

 

[Searinox]

Time doesn't make wrong right. But can they? I know there's statutory limits on law enforcement.

 

[Julizi]

Germany just abolished the limitation period for murder in 1979 after it has prolonged it twice and the period of limitation for genocide and murder in Nazi Germany threated to lapse on 30th May 1979. That was a very let's say easy solution of the problem.

I think that Nazi crimes should have been prosecuted right after the founding of the Federal Republic but Germany rather suppressed it own past so they bursted their own legal principle that the public peace will be restored after a period of time making it possbile that a 96yo was sentenced with four years of prison for being an accountant in Ausschwitz last year. Germany should restore the limitation period for murder after the last citizen that was born on or before the 7th May 1931 has died in my opinion.

Fiat iustitia et pereat mundus!

If you understand German: Verjährungsdebatte.

 

[TesseractStorm]

Absolutely. Getting old doesn't absolve them of their crimes. There's no statute of limitations on what they did. If they have the mental capacity to stand trial, then they absolutely should be prosecuted to the fullest.

 

[VinsCool]

If they were part of crimes against humanity, it's obvious that they deserve to get charged for them, no matter how long it takes to catch them.

 

[Deboog]

There are so few left I don't think anybody should go out searching for them, but yeah. If people know somebody committed crimes against humanity, of course prosecute them. Crimes like that have no statute of limitations lol.

 

[Veho]

Yes. It's not a game of hide-and-seek where you get to go free if you manage to hide long enough.
"Aaaaand time's up guys, here I am!" "Oh you were there the whole time, I can't believe we didn't find you!" "Yeah, you did good too, you almost found me a few times." "We'll get you next time for sure." "I'm sure you will. Well, I'm off. Bye!" "Bye, Adolf! Ha ha ha, what a champ." Like some Family Guy skit.

 

[BullyWiiPlaza]

I just realized that murder does not expire in Germany so any war criminals should still legally be prosecuted. Most cases don't make sense anymore though due to a lack of proof. Realistically not much is going to happen anymore. Whoever slipped through anyway just got lucky he/she got away with it after all. They should've been prosecuted earlier but the law enforcers kept it too lax.

 

[FAST6191]

War crimes is a rather broad concept and statutes of limitations a complex one.

For instance
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hague05.asp

Art. 3.

Belligerents are likewise forbidden to:
(a) Erect on the territory of a neutral Power a wireless telegraphy station or other apparatus for the purpose of communicating with belligerent forces on land or sea; "

I am not sure of the particular value of prosecuting someone for that today. Indeed I would only really expect to see it as a end run type thing (we want you for blah but proving it is tricky*, we do however know we have this and thus you are being charged with that).

*for as few as there likely are surviving and/or capable then witnesses are likely similarly thin on the ground.

There are however other scenarios wherein what I believe would be at least a 90 something (an 18 year old in 1945 would be 90 today, though younger ones could have done something) would benefit the world to have to answer for some actions they may have taken. Possibly to provide some solace to somebody or assist in some kind of asset recovery.

Deboog mentioned searching for them. I will spin it another way and ponder what priority I would assign to it. For the most part I would probably sooner see almost anybody involved in the Yugoslav and Kosovo stuff have the effort assigned to them, or indeed almost any other post ww2 conflict.

 

[shadoom]

the "war criminals" that usually get prosecuted were teenagers at the time and didn't really have any other chance. It was either death or that.
The media doesn't care that it was just a boy that probably made coffee for the nazis at the time.
A Nazi scapegoat is always welcome in modern times.

 

[Polopop123]

Put your time and resources elsewhere in my opinion. Much bigger things to worry about than some feeble 90 year old man

 

[Viri]

Yes, all sides should. That includes the allies too. I don't care what side you were on, if you committed war crimes, you should be prosecuted.

 

[Xzi]

Put your time and resources elsewhere in my opinion. Much bigger things to worry about than some feeble 90 year old man

The few left would probably be nearing 100 by now. Also, America pardoned a lot of Nazis, scientists mostly.

 

[ThisIsDaAccount]

Yup. End of story

 

[Deleted User]

Yes, they should receive a fair punishment. That's justice even if they regret it now.
This applies not only to Nazis but anyone involved in crimes against humanity.

 

[Polopop123]

The few left would probably be nearing 100 by now. Also, America pardoned a lot of Nazis, scientists mostly.

Fairly certain they hired them for the Manhattan Project. Either they did or it’s a conspiracy

 

[Noctosphere]

Well...
Imo, only leaders like general should be
Others were just warrior obeying leaders orders