Business Standard

93-year-old former Auschwitz guard charged

Image

AP Berlin
German prosecutors say they've charged a 93-year-old man with 300,000 counts of accessory to murder for serving as a guard at the Nazis' Auschwitz death camp.

The charges against Oskar Groening come as part of a nationwide push against former Auschwitz guards launched last year.

Unlike most of the others, Groening has openly talked about his time as a guard and says while he witnessed horrific atrocities, he didn't commit any crimes himself.

But Hannover prosecutors said in a statement today he was a cog in the machinery of destruction during his time at Auschwitz in 1944, noting that he helped collect and tally money stolen from murdered inmates.
 

He thus "helped the Nazi regime benefit economically, and supported the systematic killings."

His attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Sep 15 2014 | 8:45 PM IST

Explore News