Germany drops investigation into “possibly the last” Nazi guard, who is currently living in America
Germany has dropped an investigation into a Nazi guard expected to be “possibly the last” suspect allegedly complicit in the Holocaust.
Friedrich Karl Berger, 95, has been living in the US since 1959. He was accused of aiding and abetting the killing of prisoners as a guard at two concentration camps as well as overseeing a brutal evacuation march.
In March, a court ordered Berger’s deportation saying that he was “part of the SS machinery of oppression.”
However, German prosecutors claimed that American investigations had not found further evidence or been able to link Mr Berger “to any specific act of killing”, adding that no further information could be expected from a hearing in Germany.
Mr Berger was allegedly a guard in forced labour camps. Though not extermination camps, thousands died due to horrific living conditions and malnutrition.
In 1979, the US government created the Office of Special Investigations to find Nazis. According to its director, the unit helped to bring about 67 deportations, with Mr Berger’s case expected to be “possibly the last.” The most recent such deportation was of a 95-year-old former SS guard in 2018.
Campaign Against Antisemitism has expanded our coverage of antisemitism worldwide. Please contact us if you would like to share feedback or volunteer to assist with this project.