Nine ex-Nazis given life sentences

[Nifartachi]

No political references or comments, forum rules...


Greetz

Nick VR

I'm glad you said this, Nick, or things could have gone quite messy around here.

[big ned]

This trial, in my personal view, is more an act of closure for the Italian families of those killed. I for one, believe that not one of these guilty old men will spend a single day in prison, nor will a single penny of compensation be paid after the convuluted appeals for recompense have been wrung out in the ECHR.

There is this need these days, to try to exact some kind of justice for the greater good, but frankly, it's now getting a bit late in the day. Many of the witnesses are dead or their memories 65 years on could be legally contested. Many of the perpatrators are dead or very infirm, and finally the paper trail of evidence is negligable if not non-existant.

For these reasons, and myriad others political and otherwise, these men will, in my opinion, never serve the sentences they so thoroughly deserve. I am sure that the prosecuting team will be congratulated on a job well done, and slapped on the back, but at the end of the day, it,s all pretty hollow. No country would wish to persue this any further.

That leaves the upcoming trial in Germany of Jon Demjanjuk, the ex-Kz guard. Recently extradited from the U.S, he is being assessed to see if he is fit to stand trial. This would probably be the last ever ww2 war crimes trial, but don't hold your breath on that fella's, no one really in the powers that be have much stomach for it.

It's sadly turned out as too little, too late. It's worth remembering that at the end of the war, allied intelligence estimated there were 110,000 potential nazi war criminals. They located nearly 20,000 and prosecuted 6,000. Many were aquitted. That's pretty piss poor, but after years of war, nobody really had the stomach then either..... And so it creaks to a form of retribution and closure, but it all leaves me with a terribly sad feeling about the points and procedures of 'justice' for all the victims, so long gone now......

Regards, Ned.

[Stewy S]

As you say Ned,it's all about closure & statistics. Stewy S

[SteveR]

If for no other reason they will be looking over their shoulders for what life they have left.

[big ned]

If for no other reason they will be looking over their shoulders for what life they have left.

Nah Steve,

They've had nearly three quarters of a century doing that.... They're used to it, i'm afraid.

Regards, Ned.