Nazi SS-led unit commander accused of atrocities reportedly living in Minnesota

[Linda7NJ]

I, for one, will never forget it. I started first grade in 1945 just after the war had ended. Shortly thereafter a couple of soldiers came to the school to show a film to the entire school including elementary school. The film showed the liberation of the German concentration camps, stacks of bodies being bulldozed into mass graves, the ovens complete with partially burned bodies, & the starved survivors. No 6 year old is likely to forget that & I know I never have! Now days there are parental warnings on programs like this when one is watching the History Channel.

I wasn't born until the 60's but my dad made me watch the same film I believe when I was about 8 years old. I have never forgotten it either. I believe the film was called World At War... It was a series iirc. I specifically remember naked skeleton thin people walking around and piles of the dead stacked like cord wood being bulldozed into pits.

 

[Ausgirl]

Oh, I "get" it, I just disagree with taking the Holocaust and turning it into a referendum on your dissatisfaction with your current government. "Bad things are happening now, therefore let us downplay the *unbelievably* bad things that happened before" is the specific logic I disagree with.

I'm sorry, but you seem fairly bent on misreading my intent. Nothing I can do about that, apparently, so...

:X

 

[Steely Dan]

Ok, I will probably get flamed but I'm going to say it anyway.

I am truly, truly sorry about the way the Jewish people were persecuted during WWII. It went way past inhumane into the realm of TOTAL EVIL. However, all these perps will soon be dead. It is not healthy to harbor all the hatred. God, karma, or whatever you want to call it will take care of the problem soon.

Good point. And, I don't think the guy deserves a break. I just don't understand how there could be any sufficient earthly justice for the victims. A justice system in any country is not designed to extract enough justice from any of the Nazis or for that matter, any other of the war criminals.

Well he's outed and has to deal with that and his family has to deal with that. When I think of all the families he probably ruined, I don't feel so bad. Hopefully he'll live long enough to get tried and sentenced.

I wonder how someone like that sleeps at night? I wonder if he's consumed by guilt or couldn't care less? I wonder what his dreams are like? I wonder if he convinced himself that he was simply following orders?
I don't know how anyone with a conscious doesn't swallow the end of a gun.

It's weird because if the guy is a murderous psychopath he couldn't have turned it off like a switch. I don't think he's a psychopath, I think he's someone who let power go to his head and was easily pressured by peers. It's possible he feels horrible about it and that's why so many people are saying he's so nice. So I'm guessing he hasn't felt comfortable within himself for a very long time. That's good, but that just scratches the surface of what his punishment should be. At least he won't die with a good reputation attached to his name anymore.

 

[CHERIE.T]

How did this creep live in this country unnoticed for all these years?

 

[Reader]

Soldier: Minneapolis man ordered Nazi-led attack

http://www.centurylink.net/news/rea...p-soldier_minneapolis_man_ordered_naziled-ap/

BERLIN (AP) — A retired Minnesota carpenter, shown in a June investigation to be a former commander in a Nazi SS-led unit, ordered his men to attack a Polish village that was razed to the ground, according to testimony newly uncovered by The Associated Press. The account of the massacre that killed dozens of women and children contradicts statements by the man's family that he was never at the scene of the 1944 bloodshed.

The June story prompted official investigations in both Poland and Germany. On Monday, the prosecutor leading Germany's probe revealed to the AP that he has decided to recommend that state prosecutors pursue murder charges against 94-year-old Michael Karkoc.......

Much more in 6p. article

 

[Tulessa]

soldier: Minneapolis man ordered nazi-led attack

http://www.centurylink.net/news/rea...p-soldier_minneapolis_man_ordered_naziled-ap/

berlin (ap) — a retired minnesota carpenter, shown in a june investigation to be a former commander in a nazi ss-led unit, ordered his men to attack a polish village that was razed to the ground, according to testimony newly uncovered by the associated press. The account of the massacre that killed dozens of women and children contradicts statements by the man's family that he was never at the scene of the 1944 bloodshed.

The june story prompted official investigations in both poland and germany. On monday, the prosecutor leading germany's probe revealed to the ap that he has decided to recommend that state prosecutors pursue murder charges against 94-year-old michael karkoc.......

Much more in 6p. Article

Good!

 

[Steely Dan]

Good!

I totally agree. At least now everybody knows who he really is and what he is capable of. It's too bad his family had to find out, but they really need to know about their history.

 

[Tulessa]

I totally agree. At least now everybody knows who he really is and what he is capable of. It's too bad his family had to find out, but they really need to know about their history.

SD, I am battling the flu, and haven't been posting, but!! I lost 2 members of my family to murder! Some entire families were wiped out during this war. He deserves no special treatment! He committed a crime. He should have to face justice. Those families had no choice but to be wiped out! Am I PIZZED? You're durn straight I am! He should face a judge and jury, just like my brother and SIL's murderer did. The passage of time is irrelevant! When you play you freaking pay. He might be 94, but he's a 94 year old murderer, WALKING FREE AND PROBABLY DRAWING SOCIAL SECURITY!

 

[Steely Dan]

SD, I am battling the flu, and haven't been posting, but!! I lost 2 members of my family to murder! Some entire families were wiped out during this war. He deserves no special treatment! He committed a crime. He should have to face justice. Those families had no choice but to be wiped out! Am I PIZZED? You're durn straight I am! He should face a judge and jury, just like my brother and SIL's murderer did. The passage of time is irrelevant! When you play you freaking pay. He might be 94, but he's a 94 year old murderer, WALKING FREE AND PROBABLY DRAWING SOCIAL SECURITY!

If he dies before the trial at least everyone will know who and what he really is.

I'm sorry about your family. That had to be horrible.

 

[Tulessa]

If he dies before the trial at least everyone will know who and what he really is.

I'm sorry about your family. That had to be horrible.

It was, and thank you.

 

[Montjoy]

I've never understood the logic of rewarding someone for escaping justice because s/he was not prosecuted for some amount of time -- like 20, 30, 40 years. As much as I value forgiveness, I wonder if those who wish to forgive would feel the same way if the victim was their child, or their neighbor's child, rather than some person, perhaps of a different religion, across the pond.

 

[Tulessa]

I've never understood the logic of rewarding someone for escaping justice because s/he was not prosecuted for some amount of time -- like 20, 30, 40 years. As much as I value forgiveness, I wonder if those who wish to forgive would feel the same way if the victim was their child, or their neighbor's child, rather than some person, perhaps of a different religion, across the pond.

This is such an awesome post! :blowkiss: :loveyou:

 

[Jersey*Girl]

I do think this man should answer to his crimes...but...he was obviously following orders. What happens if a military person doesn't do what their orders say to do? Don't they get demoted or sometimes dishonorably discharged? Something to think about is this:

http://www.iraqbodycount.org/

So with a heavy heart I ask this question - How many proud servicemen will be held accountable for these deaths still happening today...all for the sake of freedom? Freedom? Funny how that goes. I wonder how the family of the dead innocent child feels about having their rights shot right out of them. War is not the answer. It's such a faux pas in our country that will try this man for war crimes but our own servicemen are decorated for doing the same thing - following orders.

 

[Steely Dan]

Unfortunately, war is sometimes the only answer. I don't want to debate certain wars. From the reporting it sounds like this guy decided to do this on his own.

 

[Jersey*Girl]

Thanks, I didn't know that. He decided on his own? Under Hitler, he was allowed to make his own decisions? Either way, it's an atrocity.

 

[Tulessa]

Thanks, I didn't know that. He decided on his own? Under Hitler, he was allowed to make his own decisions? Either way, it's an atrocity.

Soldier: Minneapolis man ordered Nazi-led attack

http://www.centurylink.net/news/rea...p-soldier_minneapolis_man_ordered_naziled-ap/

 

[Jersey*Girl]

Soldier: Minneapolis man ordered Nazi-led attack

http://www.centurylink.net/news/rea...p-soldier_minneapolis_man_ordered_naziled-ap/

Thanks Tulessa. I saw that but I was thinking along the lines of commanding officers already being given their orders as to what they had to level vs bypass before even setting out. Hitler was an evil formidable ruler and most that worked under him dare not cross him.

I know these many many many deaths were a travesty. I do think this guy should be held accountable. I only question why it isn't done to everyone that commits and/or orders mass murder under the guise of a strategic military action.

 

[Steely Dan]

Thanks Tulessa. I saw that but I was thinking along the lines of commanding officers already being given their orders as to what they had to level vs bypass before even setting out. Hitler was an evil formidable ruler and most that worked under him dare not cross him.

I know these many many many deaths were a travesty. I do think this guy should be held accountable. I only question why it isn't done to everyone that commits and/or orders mass murder under the guise of a strategic military action.

As a history professor once used to say to us; "History is written by the winners." Our atrocities are necessary, theirs are war crimes. (I'm not talking about any specific war or the U.S.. the Soviet Union is the best example.)

 

[txsvicki]

The mass murders were genocide of those the elite thought unfit to live. I know a German girl whose great aunt lived until age 90, but had suffered a nervous breakdown after WWI and went into a mental institution during WWII. Her family got her out of there and all the patients were executed the next day. Heck yes, they've hid out long enough. Charge them, and let a judge decide punishment considering advanced age.

 

[STANDREID]

I'm not defending this guy in any way, if he's guilty he's a sociopath. That said, the American and British air forces fire bombed Hamburg, Dresden and Tokyo knowing they were mostly occupied by women and children and burning more than a quarter million alive so, if you want to look at it this way, who really has the most blood on their hands? The two atomic bombed cities weren't exactly military targets either. In our case, we were trying to so horrify the enemy that they would surrender which could be a legitimate tactic I suppose and looking at it now is much different than living in events. It's also a case of better ye than me. War is certainly hell.