How were the trials of Nazi accomplices: How they were investigated and what they were accused of

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

At one time, these people were sure that their actions did not run counter to either the law or morality. Men and women who did their work as guards in concentration camps or otherwise contributing to the development of fascism could not even imagine that they would have to appear not only before God's judgment, but also to answer for their actions before people, according to the letter of the law. Their crimes against humanity deserve the most severe retribution, but they are often ready to bargain for the slightest indulgence and are not ready to admit their mistakes.

Today, these are miserable and frail old people who are often brought into the conference room on stretchers or wheelchairs. There was no trace of the former cruelty and self-confidence, and after all, they once plunged prisoners into horror and were confident in their own strength and innocence. Someone else's pain or even death meant absolutely nothing to them, many of the convicts mocked the prisoners of concentration camps simply out of boredom, in order to brighten up their everyday life.

Do they have anything to say in their defense today? Most often they reduce everything to the fact that they were an insignificant part of a huge system, which left them no choice - the cogs of the mechanism. That nothing would depend on their decisions and actions. Today they face imprisonment in modern prisons, where there are no guards even close to what they were. But all the same, by hook or by crook, they are trying to get a few months free for themselves.

The trials of Nazi accomplices in the USSR were, but rather remained a closed topic, due to the fact that any memories associated with the Second World War were too fresh and painful. Most of the cases were closed, and the results were classified. In Germany itself, until 1969, all the accomplices of the fascists did not bear any responsibility for their crimes. German society, which lived according to the principles of fascism, was simply not ready for mass trials of Nazi accomplices. Therefore, individual people, whose participation in massacres and torture was not proven, were considered innocent.

However, the world is changing, and the attitude towards those involved has also changed. Now those whose guilt was unproven were charged with complicity. It is enough that it is proved that a person worked in a concentration camp in order for him to be convicted, because he could not but know and not become a witness of massacres and bullying.

Trials of former Nazis in Russia and the USSR

It would seem that in the country that defeated fascism as a phenomenon, an implacable and loud struggle should continue to be waged against any of its manifestations and echoes. However, for a huge amount of time this remained a closed topic, and it is still not known how many criminals were convicted of aiding the Nazis, including from the occupied territories. In addition, most of the information that is available is idealized and does not carry any factual data, therefore it is not at all objective.

In the West, within the framework of the study of the Holocaust, a serious branch has branched off, which studies collaboration. Including the motives of the traitors who committed crimes against their own. So, within the framework of these studies, cases from the former occupation territories of the USSR were also considered. Since we are talking about court documents, the collaborators speak in the first person.

If we talk about the types of complicity with the Nazis in the occupied territories, they differ depending on the geographic location. More often than not, collaboration did not imply military involvement for the German side. Most often it was the protection of the occupied territory, the camps, the work of the headman, the collection of tax from the population.

However, there is also a more rare form of complicity. The heads of the collective farms who handed over the grown products to the fascists, journalists and other newspapermen who were engaged in the propaganda of fascist ideology.

Of course, immediately after the occupation territories were liberated, a massive purge began among the local population. The traitors, whose deeds were obvious, were executed, and publicly, and their activities and the subsequent punishment were actively covered in the newspapers.

One of the first such trials took place in the summer of 1943 in Krasnodar, which was liberated after six months of occupation. 11 men were accused of aiding the Nazis and their regime, they persecuted their fellow citizens, participated in raids and arrests, and mass murders of civilians. Three of them received 20 years in prison, the rest were publicly executed.

In December of the same year, an open trial took place in Kharkov, which is considered to be the first in relation to the Nazis and their crimes. Three Germans and one Soviet traitor were convicted, even the foreign press was admitted to the meeting, however, this possibility became known only on the last day.

Who agreed to become an accomplice and why?

None of the historians, even those closely involved in this topic, can say unequivocally how many Soviet citizens aided the Nazis. We are talking about millions of people, on average, this figure varies from one million to one and a half. By the way, the sample shows that the assertion that the families of the repressed were helped by the Nazis cannot be confirmed. Most of the collaborators are poor peasants, many of whom were previously city dwellers.

If you try to compose an average portrait of a Soviet traitor, then it will be a man born in a village, from a poor family, he is 25-35 years old, quite possibly with a family. Very often the closest relatives of the traitor found themselves on the front line.

In the post-war and war years, the condemnation for collaboration was milder, while in the 60s they received very harsh sentences. The change in tactics in this matter led to the fact that some were convicted twice. So, those who worked in the Crimean concentration camp "Red" were first tried immediately after the war, then they received 10 years for doing the work of security guards, and then, again in the late 60s. By that time, new circumstances had opened, indicating that they had participated in mass executions, for which they themselves were sentenced to capital punishment.

There are known cases of mass accusations under this article. The largest criminal case was opened against the Crimean Tatars in the amount of 30 people who fought against local partisans.

In such matters, most often there were no problems with the evidence base, the fact of the crime was obvious. It was more difficult to determine the degree of guilt. For example, the guards of the Crimean camp did not even try to prove their innocence to the Nazis. They were more concerned about their involvement in the shootings.

Reasons for collaboration among Soviet citizens

Opinions are often heard that representatives of certain nationalities were more prone to betrayal. However, an analysis of the court materials of those years suggests that the reason is not at all in nationality, but in the conditions in which both a particular person and residents of different regions found themselves. Those who found themselves near prisoners or camps could see in complicity with the Nazis an opportunity to save their own lives. Even at the cost of loss of dignity and honor. Many tried to avoid sending it to Germany. The unknown was much more frightening.

However, not everyone was forced to do this, believing that the Soviet regime remained in the past, many saw this as an opportunity to improve their financial situation, to move up the career ladder. Some indeed went specifically to the aid of the Germans, seeing in the new regime an opportunity to get rid of the Soviet dictatorship.

These two factors were cultivated during the Cold War. If the West often published the memoirs of those who remained abroad after the war, expressing the opinion that the main reason that they became traitors to their homeland was the desire for freedom and liberation from Bolshevism, in Russia itself collaborators were considered bourgeois elements.

Ivan, aka John Demjanjuk

A soldier of the Red Army, a Ukrainian guy, he was captured in 1942, then his collaboration with the Nazis began. He worked as a warden, including in Sobibor, he was even a Vlasovite. After the victory of the country he had betrayed, he did everything not to return there, he managed to get a job in America, became a citizen of this country, got a job in a car service and, in general, quite arranged his life.

But he could not escape punishment, the former prisoners of concentration camps recognize in him their warden, who was called "Ivan the Terrible." He took part in the extermination of Jews and was involved in many Nazi crimes. The Americans did not think of anything better how to send Ivan to Israel, but they did not find complete proof of his guilt there, he returned back to the United States and began to lead his usual way of life.

However, there were not indifferent people for whom the proof of Demjanjuk's guilt became a matter of honor, a sufficient evidence base was collected, testimonies of witnesses who identified him were given. He was 89 years old when he was convicted and charged with aiding the murder of nearly 30,000 people. In addition, it was proven that Ivan personally sent people to the gas chambers.

The court sentenced him to 5 years in prison, but he did not spend a day in prison, and died in a boarding house on full support, while his next appeal was considered. During the investigation, he did not comment on anything and remained silent all the time.

Auschwitz accountant Oskar Groening

Oskar Groening became another implicated, whose trial ended with a verdict. He was an official "SS man" and his duties included sorting valuables that were taken from future prisoners. He had to identify the most valuable and send them to the treasury of the Third Reich. It is noteworthy that Groening himself confessed to aiding the Nazis in an interview with one of the publications, which immediately attracted the attention of those who consider the punishment of the Nazis to be their business.

The evidence base was collected quickly enough, because his activities were formalized, and he was a Nazi officer. The court sentenced him to 4 years in prison, recognizing him as an accomplice of the Nazi regime. The old man himself did not deny his guilt and called himself a small cog in a large system and all these years was sure that he was clean before the law. However, Groening also lived in anticipation of answers to his appeals and so he died at large.

Hubert Zafke - the truth is never revealed

He was 95 years old when the court sentenced him to 15 years in prison. Such a harsh (especially in relation to the previous two criminals) punishment is explained by the fact that he was accused of supplying gas to the cells. He belonged to the sanitary team of the concentration camp, which was engaged in mass executions in the shower.

However, the old man did not admit his guilt and claimed that he had nothing to do with either the camp or the executions. During the trial, he finally lost his mind and his case remained open.

Sando Kepiro: "I was just following orders"

Another criminal who worked for the Nazis also came up with a very truthful explanation for his actions. He did not work in a concentration camp, but he was still involved in a huge number of atrocities. He took part in the mass extermination of Roma, Jews and Serbs in Serbia.

But immediately after the end of the war, Kepiro lived in Argentina, later returned to his homeland, believing that that story had already grown into reality and he was not in danger. There were witnesses who survived after his attacks, who confirmed his guilt and involvement in these crimes. At the trial, he did not admit his guilt, claiming that he only carried out the order like an ordinary soldier. Moreover, he stated that he did not regret anything, since he carried out his service well.

It was not possible to prove Kepiro's guilt, he was released due to lack of evidence and testimony. He lived to be 97 years old!

Johan: the fight for an honest name

The point in this case has not yet been put, he is accused of the murders of several hundred civilians during the Second World War. Almost 20 people testify against him, but the old man does not repent of anything. He, who retained his sanity until the age of 95, claims that he has nothing to reproach himself with. At the time of the war, he was about 20 years old and all he had to do was protect those who were sentenced to be shot or hanged.

After the war, he made a career as an architect and would very much like to keep an honest name, for which he is fighting. The trial against him was terminated, and he himself is at large, but he considers himself an interested party and is trying to reopen the case.

From the point of view of logic, it makes no sense to punish deep old people who have already lived a bright and extremely rich life, survived the war and in the post-war years. Yes, most of those accused of such crimes are over 90 years old. But those who consider themselves human rights defenders and are collecting evidence for accusations of complicity with the Nazis are confident that crimes against humanity have no statute of limitations.

Even during the war, even when working in the system, a person always has a choice, moreover, only those who were the ideological associate of the Fuhrer served in the SS. Crime should not get away with, and deep old age is not a good reason not to be held accountable for your actions. In addition, most of those who died at their hands died ingloriously, have neither a grave nor the memory of their relatives. May the end of their tormentors be inglorious.

The Nazis, planning to seize the USSR in a short time, did not expect such a protracted war. In order to improve the economic situation of your country they decided to take citizens of the USSR to Germany for forced labor.