Germany Upholds Conviction of Former Nazi Secretary
Germany Upholds Conviction of Former Nazi Secretary
The Facts
A German court rejected the appeal of 99-year-old Irmgard Furchner for her role in the deaths of over 10K people as a secretary at the Nazi Stutthof concentration camp during World War II.A German court has rejected the appeal of 99-year-old Irmgard Furchner for her role in the deaths of over 10K people as a secretary at the Nazi Stutthof concentration camp during World War II.
Furchner was originally tried in a juvenile court because she was 18 and 19 during the time that the crimes took place. Last month, her lawyers cast doubt on whether Furchner could be considered an accessory to the murders at the camp and whether she was truly aware of what was going on.Last month, lawyers for Furchner — originally tried in a juvenile court because she was 18 and 19 during the time that the crimes took place — challenged whether Furchner was truly conscious of what was going on at the camp.
The Spin
While administrative employees like Furchner are less close to the crimes than high-ranking officials, they still knowingly participated in them. ProvidingIn this case, providing administrative assistance to mass murder counts as serving as an accessory to mass murder., Inand her role, Furchner participatedmust inbe workheld thatresponsible. ledThis tolatest theruling deathsis ofevidence thousandsthat ofGermany's people.justice Shesystem shouldis beworking heldas legallyit accountable for thisshould.
ItThese istypes ridiculousof thattrials someoneare whoimportant didto smallkeeping administrativethe taskstragedy atof athe deskHolocaust likein reading,our writing,collective andmemories sorting— correspondencesbut shouldthey beare chargedfew withand thefar murderbetween. ofThe thousandsnumber of prisoners.guilty Furchnerindividuals hastaken longbefore maintainedGermany's thatcourt sheis wasmerely unawarea ofdrop in the murdersbucket thatof tookpeople placewho atcommitted theatrocities campon andbehalf hadof nothe contactNazi with the prisonersregime. ThisIt's elderlytime womanto shouldconsider notalternative beand punishedequally forpromising crimesways sheof diddealing notwith commitunresolved justHolocaust because she was a secretary as a teenagercrimes.