Steve Kovacs

Nazis, War Criminals, and Old Folks



Posted: Saturday, April 18, 2009

by Steve Kovacs
The Kovacs Perspective

I live in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, as does an accused former Nazi death camp guard, John Ivan Demjanjuk. The Demjanjuk case has been dragging on for 30 years and has been a topic of discussion locally and Nationwide for almost as long.

Demjanjuk is an 89-year-old retired autoworker who by all local accounts has been a friendly, gentle, nice person--at least while living in the U.S. However, in the last 30 years he has been intensively investigated for possible crimes committed in the 1940's. Many in authority believed he was the infamous and cruel death camp guard Ivan the Terrible, who worked in a Polish Death Camp under Nazi direction.

About 20 years ago, he was extradited to Israel and convicted of being Ivan the Terrible and having a hand in the killing of thousands of mostly Jewish captives. Israel found him guilty and sentenced him to death. However, the Israeli Supreme Court overturned the conviction and set him free. They released him not on a technicality, but because of lack of convincing evidence regarding his guilt. He returned to the Cleveland area and ever since has been investigated and investigated and then investigated some more.

Years later, Demjanjuk's U.S. citizenship was stripped because it was determined he lied on paperwork when he originally entered this country. The U.S tried to find a country who would accept him; however, there were no takers. Presently, Demjanjuk who is closing in on 90 years old is apparently quite ill with kidney disease and other illnesses.

A few months ago the German government filed an arrest warrant against him for being a guard at a death camp during the Holocaust and again, being involved in the death of thousands. Consequently, our government is ready to deport him to Germany to stand trial and actually, just a few days ago, authorities had him wrapped up on a mobile hospital bed while taking him to the airport for a non-stop flight to Germany . Just before he was to take off, a federal judge put a stop to the extradition because of his medical condition. Authorities will evaluate Demjanjuk in the next few weeks and see if he's off to Germany for a trial or if he can stay in the U.S.

Anyone who had a hand in the killing of millions of Jews, Gypsies and others during the Second World War atrocities should be held accountable. However, in the same breath I have to question some important points. After 30 years of investigation, an extradition, conviction and acquittal in Israel , and the continuing decades of investigations, now, at 89, with his terrible health, we're going to send him to Germany to stand trial?

I wonder if we are not being similar (in a minor sense) in our lack of humanity as were those horrible people who committed those atrocities. Are we being obsessive and blind to humanity? On a very controversial subject, I take the stand to let him be-leave him alone. If he's guilty, at his age and with his medical condition he's close to his real judgment day anyway.

Steve is the author of Protect Yourself: The Simple Keys Women Need to be Safe and Secure. He is the host of the Internet Radio Talk Show, The Kovacs Perspective http://www.thekovacsperspective.com/ where he interviews experts in various fields, geared to help and inform. Steve also does on-line current events & political audio commentary.

Steve's background is in law enforcement, security, investigations, teaching and he is also the president of a small specialty investigation company: http://www.allsourcesecurity.com/investigations.htm. Contact Steve any time at:info@thekovacsperspective.com

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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)
» left by Anonymous
 3 years 13 days ago.
You didn't mention the interesting connection to one-time presidential candidate and arch-conservative commentator Pat Buchanan, whose rally on behalf of Demjanjuk helped to secure his freedom. His sentiments were similar, "live and let live," and not enough evidence, so let him go. It is a tough question, but you have to wonder, on the one hand you can say, "Ah, he's old, don't prosecute," while on the other, "free him at all cost!" which seems to have been Buchanan's position, and suggests a pro-Nazi leaning.
» left by Steve Kovacs 3 years 12 days ago.
94 fans. Follow Steve Kovacs on twitter!

Yes, this is controversial and most people do not want to touch the subject—just my opinion, however, I respect different opinions on how to handle it—thanks for commenting.

 

» left by Laina
from Ohio 3 years 11 days ago.
I disagree with your opinion. My husband is Jewish and my children are half Jewish and members of our family were slaughtered by these soldiers. I must ask you, if your mother,wife, child, pet, anyone, anything you love, were tortured, starved, raped, beaten and killed by this man, would you honestly say, just let him get away with it as he has for the last 60+ years? Would that change your opinion? If he is found to be guilty, he deserves earthly punishment. I agree he will get his just rewards in the next life as well. We all will. Also, his family should know what he did to those innocent people. They should hear of all the pain he caused, the futures he destroyed, the blood lines he killed etc. Just my two cents...but thank you for opening up the topic for discussion.
» left by Steve B 2 years 364 days ago.
How many times would you like someone to try this man for these crimes?  Until someone decides to let the conviction stand on flimsy or lack of eveidence.  That was why he was released - not enough compelling evidence. 
 
So just because someone THOUGHT he might be Ivan - we should keep trying him until someone gets it to stick - where is the justice in that?
 
If I had lost family to Ivan or any other of those people that worked in those camps - I would want justice.  But I would want it on the RIGHT PERSON or PEOPLE.  If you can't prove who he is - or was - leave him alone.
 
Like Kovacs said - his judgement day is close at hand.
» left by Anonymous
 3 years 11 days ago.
Thank you for opening up such a controversial topic. The fact that you take a position, to me, is honorable--and at the same time, probably one which you 'took a risk' to publish. Kudos to you for doing so.
 
I completely see both views (yours and other readers) I must say that through the years my personal view point has changed regarding this particular case. I once, years ago when this first came into public light, thought this man should have been charged with anything and everything possible against him for what he chose to do. However, when it was decided by the Israeli government to withdraw the charges against him, my sentiments changed. I thought to myself, wow, if this government can do this, what a testiment to them. Additionally, last night on the news there was a Jewish woman who gave a presentation and spoke of her life as a survivor of the holocaust. In the end, she was asked about how she felt about this very case. She said to let him be.
 
Forgiveness. What a powerful word.
 
While forgiveness will NEVER take back the crimes against so many innocent people (or bring back their lives), I think her words alone should make us, minimally, consider putting this case to rest. The holocaust was an embarrassment to the history of the world (as was the genocide in Africa and for that matter, slavery and the treatment of African American people).
 
Henry Ford once said, failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently. I can only hope that through education and learning from the massive mistakes others, our world can become a place of acceptance, tolerance, and embracement of the beautiful cultures our worldly people bring unto us.
» left by David Pekrul
 2 years 346 days ago.
69 fans.
This is a hard one. I think his age and health should be a consideration. I mean, to lock him up now accomplishes what? It may take away his freedom for what, maybe a couple years at the most? He has probably lived a comfortable life up to now. In his current stage in life, imprisonment won't be much of a penalty. In fact, it may make his life easier, as he would have someone to care for all his needs, health care and otherwise.
» left by Steve Kovacs 2 years 345 days ago.
94 fans. Follow Steve Kovacs on twitter!
Hi Dave--it is a tough one!--Many people simply assume he's guilty. He's a suspect, being tried at 89 years of age, again. Let's hope true justice is served.  Thank you very much for writing and joining my fan club--I appreciate it.
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