Nazi Concentration Camp Guard Convicted of Accessory to Murder
The Trial of Bruno Dey
In a landmark trial, a German court has convicted 93-year-old Bruno Dey, a former Nazi concentration camp guard, of accessory to murder in the deaths of 5,230 people at the Stutthof concentration camp in Poland.
Dey, a former SS guard, was found guilty of knowingly supporting the killing of prisoners by ensuring they did not escape or revolt. The verdict marks one of the last Holocaust trials in Germany, as prosecutors race against time to bring perpetrators to justice before they pass away.
Stutthof Concentration Camp
Established in 1939, Stutthof was the first wartime concentration camp outside of Germany. Over 100,000 prisoners were held there, and more than 60,000 died from disease, starvation, exhaustion, and execution. Victims were subjected to horrific atrocities, including gassing with Zyklon B, shootings, and denial of medical care.
Dey’s Role and Conviction
Dey served as a tower guard at Stutthof from August 1944 to April 1945. Prosecutors argued that he played a crucial role in the camp’s machinery of murder, even if he did not directly commit the killings.
Judge Anne Meier-Göring rejected Dey’s claim that he had no choice but to serve as a guard. She stated that he “knowingly supported the insidious and cruel killing of prisoners” and that he was “an accomplice to this manmade hell.”
Sentencing and Reactions
Dey was sentenced to a two-year suspended sentence due to his advanced age and poor health. The verdict has sparked mixed reactions among victims and survivors. Some expressed satisfaction that Dey was held accountable for his crimes, while others were disappointed that he did not receive a harsher sentence.
93-year-old Marek Dunin-Wasowicz, a survivor of Stutthof, said, “I don’t want his apology, I don’t need it.” Ben Cohen, whose grandmother was imprisoned in Stutthof, called the verdict an act of “symbolic justice.”
Legacy and Ongoing Investigations
Dey’s trial is one of the last in a series of prosecutions of former Nazi war criminals. Germany has no statute of limitations on murder, allowing prosecutors to continue investigating and charging perpetrators.
Currently, German prosecutors are investigating 14 other cases like Dey’s. They recently charged a 95-year-old man who also worked at Stutthof with war crimes. These ongoing investigations demonstrate Germany’s commitment to seeking justice for the victims of the Holocaust.
Historical Significance
The trial of Bruno Dey holds immense historical significance. It underscores the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes, even decades later. It also serves as a reminder of the horrors inflicted on millions of people during the Holocaust and the need to combat all forms of hatred and intolerance.