Oskar Groening :"The bookkeeper of Auschwitz" on Trial!

2015-05-13T10:49:57-04:00

Oskar Groening “The Bookkeeper of Auschwitz”

I am currently enrolled in “The History of World War II”, a class at Granite State College. I have really enjoyed the class so far, I find great value in learning about our history, not only as a country, but as a member of the human race. It is important the we can look back and learned from our mistakes as well as our past success. When people, of the United States at least, look back at World War II they see a battle between good and evil. The Allied Nations vs. The Axis of Evil. The thing I have come to learn from this class is that there was much more going on behind the scenes that the average person knows.

In the past few weeks, it seems, the past has caught up with the present. The number of survivors from the WWII era is getting smaller and smaller. This has caused, among other things, a push to make sure the last of those involved with some of the more atrocious acts be punished. the most prevalent of these is the case of Oskar Groening.

Oskar Groening is being put on trial for his involvement as a guard at Auschwitz. He is known as the “Bookkeeper of Auschwitz” and was responsible for rounding up all the banknotes and money from the prisoners as well as searching their luggage and hiding it out of site of the other incoming prisoners. He has openly admitted to being “morally guilty” but that he was just a small cog in a much bigger machine. He has gone as far as stating that he requested a transfer after he found out what was happening, but he was denied. Now he is being charged with 300,000 counts of murder.

I understand the need to punish people for crimes committed but I am unsure how I feel about this case. Mr. Groening is 93 years old, is he even the same person he was 70 plus years ago? Has too much time passed at this point for this trial to be effective? Of course the victims and victims families want to see anyone involved with these acts of evil punished, but what exactly are we accomplishing with the 93 year old man? He has been very open with his involvement and has shown remorse. Should people be trial due to moral guilt? What other precedents for cases will this trial open up? Was he just following orders, and it is known that anyone who was against the Nazis at the time, was eliminated. Should he have risked his own life to get away from what was happening?
I do not normally get into discussions about politics, but this is very interesting as I feel the consequences of this trials could be far reaching. My view, with the current information I have, is my “opinion” on the current situation and I would like to see how everyone else feels about this. Again, I think this is a very important trial, what do you think? Does anyone have any more information on this? Thanks for reading and I hope to hear from everyone!

Response by SPC Chad Kolod made May 13 at 2015 11:13 AM

2015-05-13T11:13:31-04:00

After looking into this more, it really is very controversial.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made May 13 at 2015 11:44 AM

2015-05-13T11:44:16-04:00

SPC Chad Kolod:

Great question.

The war in Europe is long over, the major war criminals who were caught were tried for their crimes, convicted and sentenced with those very sentences carried out. With the exception of Hermann Goering, who cheated the gallows by taking poison.

Trying a 93 year old man for something he may or may not have done 70 years ago is, IMHO, pointless. His life since the days of WWII is not what it was under the Nazis. He has lived a life since the end of the war that hasn't brought undue attention on himself, which to me says that he has realized that what he did was morally and ethically wrong. Does this negate his guilt? Absolutely not! Should he be tried for the crimes committed? 70 years ago, yes, today no.

Reason:

I believe the authorities/powers that be could have caught him many times throughout the years and for whatever reason chose not to. He has lived with what he has done and probably lived a life filled with nightmares and yet may have made his life worth something despite his past. Trying this 93 year old man at this stage is akin to saying that you have been free to live your life, now we are going to make what you have done for the past 70 years mean less than nothing. He is probably in the last days of his life, where would they find witnesses to testify for or against him? His victims are dead, his cohorts in these crimes are most likely dead also.

The best sentence they could give him would be to continue to live with his past until he dies. Then let him answer for those crimes to the only entity who can truly judge him. So much for my .02.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2015 11:54 AM

2015-05-13T11:54:39-04:00

I have very mixed feelings.

I feel that he should be held accountable for his crimes. But really as a clerk, was he really guilty of committing the murders? Or could he be considered an accessory to murder and aiding in war crimes.

He has been open about his involvement and his guilt over his involvement over the years, if so why is it taking 70 years to prosecute him? Has he been hiding during this time, if so, to me that tells me there is more to the story. I think this is a huge trial. Because there are people who were vital members of the atrocity who are still hiding in plain sight, even as they grow old, who should face the pied piper. But I am not sure if he is the one to set the “example” of we are still going to deal with Nazi SS swiftly and sternly- because I don’t think society will ever let us say “ok, we forgive and forget your sins.” That’s my two cents.

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made May 13 at 2015 12:00 PM

2015-05-13T12:00:12-04:00

I think prosecuting a man who is 93 for a crime that happened 70 yrs ago is a bit silly, I think it's people trying to flex their muscle or maybe political pressure and as other have said, he was a clerk following orders. We all know what happens when we don't follow orders. It's not like he was lining them up and mowing them down.

Response by SPC Chad Kolod made May 13 at 2015 1:52 PM

2015-05-13T13:52:39-04:00

Does this open the door for other trials based on morality? Would this come in to play with the other soldiers anywhere in the world who followed orders to do something not so morally sound?

Response by SPC Chad Kolod made May 13 at 2015 2:55 PM

2015-05-13T14:55:55-04:00

What do the afternoon RP crowd think?

Response by SPC Chad Kolod made May 13 at 2015 4:15 PM

2015-05-13T16:15:05-04:00

** If a survivor of Auschwitz can forgive Groening, and states that he shouldn't go to jail, does that change anyone's mind? Check out this clip **

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/accountant-auschwitz-faces-susan-pollack-murder-trial-n358191

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made May 13 at 2015 4:22 PM

2015-05-13T16:22:23-04:00

There is no statute of limitations for crimes against humanity and for supporting genocide. The "I was only following orders" defense has also been deemed invalid. If he is actually not guilty, then he will be found so in trial.

I don't think "I'm sorry, that was so long ago" is a sufficient defense when you directly supported the murder of hundreds of thousands of people as part of one of the worst and darkest chapters of human history.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 13 at 2015 4:32 PM

2015-05-13T16:32:35-04:00

He was an apparatus of an diabolical operation that killed 6 million Jews. He should be tried.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2015 4:47 PM

2015-05-13T16:47:30-04:00

To me... he should have been tried when he came forward about it.. But I am with SPC Kolod on this I dont know if trying him 70 years later is going to really accomplish anything... besides putting a man in jail for war crimes and showing people that we are actually doing something... But at the same time why are others that are still out there being ignored? Just my opinion off the hip.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made May 13 at 2015 6:45 PM

2015-05-13T18:45:33-04:00

My grandfather left Germany when it was a bad time to be a Jew.
He came to America when it was a bad time to be a German.
He lied about his age to the recruiter in hopes of returning to Europe in order to fight Hitler.
And when Groening dies, he & my grandfather may likely never meet --because, as our Hymn goes, "the streets of Heaven are guarded by the United States Marines."

As for crimes against humanity: nunquam alieno. And that has no statute of limitations.

Response by SPC Chad Kolod made May 13 at 2015 7:11 PM

2015-05-13T19:11:51-04:00

Thanks to everyone for there passionate responses!

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jun 30 at 2015 10:16 PM

2015-06-30T22:16:52-04:00

There can't be any mercy for these men.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Jun 30 at 2015 10:35 PM

2015-06-30T22:35:57-04:00

If he was so morally superior then he did not have to partake in 'following orders.' He could have suck started his Luger and gone to God with a clean conscience. I don't see it as 'is it worth it since it is 70 years later', I see it as him living in freedom for 70 years and that was denied to millions of victims. I see the lightning bolts of the SS on his collar. They didn't just hand those out to people who were fighting for their beloved fatherland. You had to earn them. You had to swear an oath to Hitler personally. You got the 'prestige' of wearing them and you were elevated to a position of greater power and respect. Some poor schmo who was conscripted into fighting has a better chance at pulling off a legitimate defense. Put that Nazi on trial and see what the jury comes back with. That is what we are able to demand from him, the rest he owes to God.