I don’t know what to think. It’s a shame they waited so long to put him in jail. If he had been jailed in his youth maybe it would have made more sense. Sense for the families still mourning and the people who had lived through the hell, and sense for the man himself to feel he had received a punishment for his crimes.
From what I understand some Jews had to make the choice to “help” the Nazis in the camps to save their own lives.
My question always is, did that soldier believe in the cause? Sorry, but I do think there were plenty of Germans at the time who wanted to kill Jews and people who were handicapped and anyone who was deemed sub par. I don’t think the majority of Germans felt this way, but enough that it counts. The same as slave owners in America, especially those who saw fit to rape, physically abuse, and murder their slaves.
I think the point @janbb asked about ISIS is a very interesting thing to ponder. I’m never sure exactly what I think about young men who have been brainwashed and manipulated to do horrific things. I’m still for punishing them, but I have a mini space where I feel they didn’t have a good chance to be better people.
What about our military when we invaded Iraq? Should soldiers have refused to fight? Many of them believed Sudam was somehow connected to 9/11 out of ignorance. Even some soldiers who didn’t agree with fighting in Iraq fought for us there.
I don’t mind that the bookkeeper is jailed, but it’s awfully late, and I wish his knowledge and regret had been utilized in a more useful manner.