After slight research, I found out that the old Nazi guards should be deported. During the Nuremberg Trials, there was a set of guidelines that would be used to help determine what was considered a war crime. They're quite easy to understand, and here is a link to it.
http://deoxy.org/wc/wc-nurem.htm
Now, if you took the time to read them, you may notice one in particular that would apply to the Nazi concenration camp guards. More exactly, Principle IV.
"The fact that a person acted pursuant to order of his Government or of a superior does not relieve him from responsibility under international law, provided a moral choice was in fact possible to him."
Other sites have paraphrased it to "It is not an acceptable excuse to say 'I was just following my Superior's orders,' " which is what I'm sure many of the guards would use as a defense. A camp guard could say he feels uncomfortable having all these people being killed around him and ask for a different position, something like a cook or some form of office work in a different region that still would support the Nazi party in some way. I'm pretty sure a Nazi cook wouldn't get in trouble unless making food for soldiers ends up counting as "aiding in crimes against humanity."
In the end, I do feel a little bad for the old guards that didn't do anything besides guarding the enterance. But unless they have substantial proof of their innocence, then by law they are war criminals and will be treated as such. It is bad that the old guards have to have this happen to them so late in life, but it's better late than never. Now many familys who had survived or have relatives who were in concentration camps can feel better knowing that justice was served. Let this also be a warning to possible criminals out there... Mess with the law and it'll get you back, even if it's 60 years later!
Monday, September 28, 2009
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