DOCUMENTATION OF CRIMINAL PROSECUTION OF NAZI CRIMINALS FROM 1945-1978

• NCJ Number: 64772
• Author(s): A RUECKERL
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 148 pages
• Language: German
• Country: West Germany (Former)

Annotation

THE PROSECUTION OF NAZI CRIMES SINCE 1945 IS TRACED FOR VARIOUS COUNTRIES.

Abstract

ALL NAZI CRIMES FALL UNDER THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON DECEMBER 31, 1980; THIS DOCUMENTATION EXPLAINS THE PRESENT STATE OF PROSECUTIONS AND THE LEGAL POSSIBILITIES FOR FUTURE PROSECUTIONS. ALTHOUGHT THE PRECISE NUMBER IS UNKNOWN (DUE TO LARGE UNKNOWN FIGURES IN THE SOVIET UNION, YUGOSLAVIA, AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA), IT IS ESTIMATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 70,000 GERMANS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO TRIAL FOR WAR CRIMES. BETWEEN 1945 AND 1977, THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY ALONE CONDUCTED 84,403 INVESTIGATIONS AGAINST SUSPECTED WAR CRIMINALS, 6,432 OF WHICH WERE CONVICTED (12 TO THE DEATH PENALTY). THE REASONS FOR THE RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF CONVICTIONS ARE THAT THE SUSPECTS (1) COULD NOT BE LOCATED, (2) DID NOT SURVIVE THE WAR OR WERE EXECUTED BY ALLIED COURTS, (3) WERE PHYSICALLY UNFIT TO STAND TRIAL, OR (4) WERE ACQUITTED BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE. SINCE JANUARY 1, 1978, THE DECISIONS ON 3,708 INVESTIGATIONS OR TRIALS ARE PENDING. IT MAY BE EXPECTED THAT EVEN AFTER 1979, NEW EVIDENCE AGAINST UNKNOWN WAR CRIMINALS WILL BE DISCOVERED; IN ALL PROBABILITY, HOWEVER, THESE CRIMES WILL BE OF A COMPARATIVELY MINOR NATURE SINCE ALL MAJOR ATROCITIES HAVE BEEN THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED IN THE PAST 34 YEARS. IN THOUSANDS OF CASES, THE STATUTORY PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS HAS BEEN EXTENDED AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. IN OTHER CASES, THIS HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE AS THE SUSPECTS HAVE NOT BEEN SUFFICIENTLY IDENTIFIED; HOWEVER, THE CHANCES OF BRINGING THESE OFFENDERS TO TRIAL ARE VERY SLIM EVEN WITHOUT THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. ALTHOUGH THE BOOK EMPHASIZES WEST GERMAN PROCEEDINGS, INFORMATION CONCERNING THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN ALL OTHER COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN THE WAR IS INCLUDED. STATISTICAL CHARTS CONCERNING THE STATE OF THE PROSECUTIONS IN WEST GERMANY, REPORTS CONCERNING THE FATES OF CONCENTRATION CAMP COMMANDERS AND LEADING SS (SECRET SERVICE) OFFICIALS, AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)