•10111: .111111
By ALFRED WOLFIBANN
JTA Bonn • Corresposident
(Copyright 1972, JTA, lac.)
Too often in the past, German
courts have ordered the discon-
tinuation of Nazi war crimes trials
because the defendants were too
old or too sick to stand trial.. or
because__thelr,, trials=hiid
terrupted for more than seven
days, reason enough, according to
German federal law to force re-
-aliening of the case.
Some trials constitute a real ju-
dicial scandal. The International
Confederation of Camps has re-
peatedly intervened, through its
secretary-general, Hermann Lang-
bein, to demand the retrial or re-
newal of certain investigations in
which there was a miscarriage of
justice. The confederation, an in-
ternational. organization represent-
ing former concentration camp in-
mates from all goer the world, has
done important work in classifying
and reporting the trials of former
Nazis. One such intervention ex-
posed the behind-the-scenes details
of the trial of an accused mass-
murderer, Egon Erzum in Bavaria.
The case was typical, and not only
in 'Bavaria, which is notorious for
THE DETROIT JEWISH HEWS
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A favorite tactic of ex Nazis who
are brought to court for invest:11w
tion is to drag out this preliminary
stage for as long as possible. This
allows many witnesses to "disap-
pear" due to old age or illness.
In contrast, A. Bossharnmer,
another former Nazi, denied bail
by a West Berliii court, was tried
promptly and found guilty.
• • •
,An especially scandalous case
was that of the suspended trial of
Dr. Johannes Thuemmler. Brought
before the Wurttemberg "Supreme
Court, -Ituemmler was accused of
committing multiple murders in
his capacity as SS Obersturmbands-
fulmar and Geitapo chief of Kat-
towitz. He was part of the Gesta-
po's higher-echelon and was re-
sponsible for the Gestapo at Ausch-
witz, where as commander of the
"Poundal Department" he sat in
'
FIVE
BOXMAN BROTHERS
Harty, Den, Oscar, Sam, Frank
KOSHER MEATS and POULTRY
13515 West 7 Mile
their families and their staff
Wa All
ee
ws
its large- number of Nazi sympa- judgment over hundreds of vic-
-
_
tims: At least 658 persons were
thizers.
HARRY
B.
HELMSLEILpromi-
In July, 1967, former SS First Lt. condemned to death by Thuemmler
Egon Erzum was arrested on- sus- who gave two full, minutes to,each nent real estate broker -and presi-
picion of having commanded a case.. before he 'pronounced the dent_d Helmsley-Spear. Inc., New
York, will be honored by Brandeis
police battalion which participated deatillentences.
in mass murders during World War - Dr. Thuemmler's case came be- University and by his friends and
In-November 1967, the• former fore...the- court. 34- Ellwan8c4.-and colleagues at a dinner in the Pierre
e s reine court in Hotel , NiarYolk,- May 9, at -which
e
celebrate
Ganz also was arrested. He is held Stuttgart. Bo
the 15th aniiiverSairSi
responsible for similar crimes cora- pursue the case against the ex- ture
series
established
by
Helm's-
Nazi.
The
CIC
intervened
on
mined in the death camps of Mau-
thausen, Wiener Neustadt and Eb- grounds that the prosecution and ley at Brandeis -in 1958.
ensee which be commanded._ In the courts did not carry out their
October 1969, the former Chief IL task according to the evidence at
MORRIS L. GREEN, honorary
Wilhelm Radtke, who was suspect- hand. The CIC secretary was, how- treasurer of the Union of Orthodox
ed of committing mass murder in ever, unable to reach the attorney Jewish Congregations of America
the Nillopol area of Poland also general who had been transferred and treasurer of the Jewish Center
to other duties. Langbein was in- in New York, has been named the
was arrested. ,• *
formed by his office that the case recipient of the organization's 1972
Not long ago, -Langbein asked could- be re-opened only if new 'Kether Sheaf Tov ("Crown of the
the Bavarian authorities what hap- evidence was produced. The courts Good Name") Award, to be pre-
pened to the three- investigations. had found that, according to the sented as the annual IJOJCA din-
He was informed that Radtke: now testimony, Dr. Thuemmler could ner, May 7, at the New- Yost
56, was freed. because he was able be charged only with manslaughter Hilton.
to show 'medical certificates prov- because he condemned to death
LATEST IN NEW HAI CUTS
ing that he suffered from a seri- only "Resistance men and sabo-
• By FRANCYNE S MARCELLA
_
ous lung disease. Erzum, 65, also teurs." His crimes were consid- Deaf 'to Learn of Judaism
l• AND ANN
brought a medical certificate to ered in the category of "duties ROCHESTER, N.Y. (JTA) — A
Hillel
rabbi
here
.has
described
court witch freed him from con- fulfilled under emergency condi-
SIR ALBERT
tinuing to stand trial. Ganz solved tions." •Langbein, on the other as "fantastic" the "tremendously
BEAUTY LOUNGE-
his problem by undergoing surgery hand, produced testimony which eager desire to learn about- Juda-
-W:10 Mile Road
' 17445
for a prostate condition shortly showed that -many of the victims ism" indicated by Jewish college
Near Somaltfield Read
were condemned to death 'for mi- deaf students taking part in a pro-
before his trial began.
557-5856
Who were these Nazis? Erzum nor - infringements of -t he camp gram sponsored by the Bnai Brith
was, for a time, a deputy at the rules and that the condemnations Foundation at the University of
were,
technically,
murder.
Rochester.
Bavarian Landstag (Parliament).
• * •
He was a member of the"Hreistag"
of Ansbach and later became, as
Also brought to light during CIC
a member of the Christian Socialist investigations was the fact that
Union of Franz Joseph Strauss, Thuemmler stood by at the plat-
mayor of Leutershausen. Radtke forms where deportation trains
wore the elegant uniform of a were to arrive, taking part per-
German border guard — and re- sonally in the selection of victims
portedly was fit for military serv- for the gas chambers. He
ice till the very day of his arrest. plainly recognizable by former
Immediately after this arrest, he Auschwitz-Birkenau ' inmates who
FASHION'S BEST
was able to produce a series of noted his presence thanks to - his
. 6
medical certificates proving he was black SS officer's uniform.
D Le R,,& 1 6
seriously ill.
The CIC Secretary demanded
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Had the three accused been kept that the attorney general's office
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under lock and key and denied renew its investigation. He stressed
bail, it is likely that they would that .3t was inexcusable that high-
IIIIIITS ARE III SPECIALTY • WATC11- AID JEWELRY WAR
not have been able to prolong olaced Nazi leaders should escape
....
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the initial inquiry -which allowed judgment while the small fry were
• a.m..
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• -aaatta
them to escape trial through their brought to trial. He also appealed
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"medical" safety exits.
to the special adviser of the Baden-
THE
•
CO
esedomera
and ..grsendl
-4 Very -nappy Pal‘orier
Wuerttenberg Ministry of Justice.
But the matter is still pending and
there is nothing to indicate that a
decision to prosecute will be taken.
Ina similar case in Bavaria, the
CIC secretary's pressure forced
the renewal of an-investigation of
the fornier concentration camp
guards of Rehm Most of them,
and their superiors, had been in-
vestigated by Bavarian courts
which decided, some seven years
no. to drols an legal Proceedings
against them.
After Langbein's intervention, a
decision was taken to reopen the
investigation of one guard, Werner
Dubois. His was the only case in
which the Bavarian attorney gen-
eral's office could find "new ma-
terial" to Justify reopening pro-
ceedings. By chance, -Dubois was
already in jail, serving a sentence
for 'other crimes. He died in jail
not long ago, so that the investiga-
tion was wound up.
All Langbein could do was prci-.
test to the Bavarian Ministry . of
Jurtice and demand, in the name
of the' CIC, the reopening of a
general investigation against all
the guards and officers of the
Belzec camp. It is- doubtful at
this writing if anything will be
P a33over
done.
Elderly Housing Opened
ST. 'LOUIS (./TA) .,— Dedication
ceremonies were held' recently
-for the Farlrview - Towers .Apart=
meats, a Jewish community cen-
ters housing project for older
adialts, at the anartmeirt site in
University City. William S. Satter,
president of the- Farkview Hous-
ing Corp. which administers the
Project for the • JCCAi • said the.
high rise focal ,ProViclea,adeq_
u-
aterheusing-latis reallenahle.costan
• Ideesant.- atnlosPber040T.4der
adults."
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