German prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation against a 100-year-old man suspected of serving as a guard at a notorious Nazi prisoner of war camp during World War II.
The Allegations and the Accused
Authorities in the western city of Dortmund allege the man participated in sadistic executions of prisoners at the Hemer camp between December 1943 and September 1944. Prosecutor Andreas Brendel confirmed the investigation focuses on the suspect's activities during this brutal period.
The accused is believed to have served at what survivors described as a hellish prisoner of war camp in Hemer, located in western Germany. This facility held at least 100,000 inmates, predominantly from the Soviet Union, alongside British, Polish and French soldiers.
Life and Death in the Hemer Camp
Conditions within the camp were described as inhumane, with thousands perishing due to overcrowding, poor sanitation, vermin infestations, starvation and rampant diseases including dysentery and tuberculosis.
Surviving prisoners endured severe malnourishment, receiving only one serving of bread per day while being forced to perform strenuous labour. Many inmates didn't succumb to disease or starvation but were savagely killed by guards operating within the camp.
The camp's notorious reputation later inspired the World War II film 'Hart's War', starring Bruce Willis, bringing its dark history to international attention.
The Pursuit of Justice Decades Later
The case was initially opened by the Central Office of the State Justice Administrations for the Investigation of National Socialist Crimes in Ludwigsburg. After completing preliminary investigations, the matter was transferred to the Dortmund public prosecutor's office, which handles Nazi crime prosecutions in the region.
Founded in 1958, the Central Office has conducted nearly 8,000 preliminary investigations into Nazi crimes, demonstrating Germany's ongoing commitment to addressing historical atrocities.
Prosecutor Brendel told local media that while the investigation continues, no additional information will be released at this stage. This case represents one of the final opportunities to prosecute those involved in Nazi war crimes, given the advanced age of potential suspects.
Recent years have seen several trials of Nazi camp staff, spurred by the landmark 2011 conviction of former Sobibor death camp guard John Demjanjuk. This established that guards could be convicted without direct evidence of specific murders.
However, time is rapidly running out for justice. Josef Schuetz, a former guard sentenced to five years in prison in June 2022, died less than a year later at age 102. Similarly, an alleged former Sachsenhausen concentration camp guard died this April before facing court for complicity in over 3,300 murders.
