# How far is too far in persuing nazis? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125 "2017-03-14T01:35:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/1 "2017-03-14T01:35:56Z")
So there is a [story](http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/poland-confirms-minnesota-man-as-nazi-commander/ar-AAogp8Y?OCID=ansmsnnews11) today on msn about a 98 year old man accused of being an SS commander who massacred some polish villages. I understand the idea that going after each and every Nazi but considering the extreme age and the fact that the guy has Alzheimer’s disease I don’t know what they hope to accomplish by trying him at this point. The Germans have concluded that he is too infirm to stand trial but the Polish want him extradited and seek life imprisonment. Really that means that the Polish government will be paying for his healthcare for however long he has left. So do you agree with the Polish that it is worth it to go after him or should they just let him die on his own? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/2 "2017-03-14T01:40:01Z")
This sort of pursuit might actually have the effect of making Nazis sympathetic. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/3 "2017-03-14T01:51:42Z")
I think we should just let criminals who have escaped prosecution for 1 week just go free. In case you didn’t get it, that was sarcasm. As far as I know, there is no statute of limitations on murder, and mass murder just makes it that much worse. I say, lock him up. Punishment is not just for an attempt at rehabilitation or retribution, but also for closure for the victims and their families. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/4 "2017-03-14T01:53:10Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > This sort of pursuit might actually have the effect of making Nazis sympathetic. Hmmm…let me check… No…no…yeah, I’m still not sympathetic to Nazis. Huh. Guess they’ll have to try harder to engage my sympathy mode. Or not. Is this a wasted effort? Eh, perhaps. But I’m fine with Nazi hunters working it if they want until the last of them is dead. Which should any day now anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/5 "2017-03-14T01:57:20Z")
Why should his old age and frail body somehow absolve him of his crimes? ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/6 "2017-03-14T02:03:50Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Why should his old age and frail body somehow absolve him of his crimes? Well for one thing he probably isn’t aware enough to know that he is on trail let alone the ability to defend himself. ---
**Author:** ![Mithras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mithras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithras)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/7 "2017-03-14T02:03:52Z")
I hope he is aware and lives long enough to realize he’s inflicted lifetimes of shame upon his descendents. It doesn’t in the slightest balance against the suffering of his victims or their families who likely don’t even have the luxury of knowing what happened to their loved ones. But it’s a little bit of justice. Anyway, if Poland wants to cage him, that’s fine by me. He deserves nothing better. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/8 "2017-03-14T02:10:11Z")
He had sixty+ years free already. Fuck him. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/9 "2017-03-14T02:13:51Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Well for one thing he probably isn’t aware enough to know that he is on trail let alone the ability to defend himself. His lawyer would be. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/10 "2017-03-14T02:24:12Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Well for one thing he probably isn’t aware enough to know that he is on trail let alone the ability to defend himself. > [@Ambivalid](#): > > His lawyer would be. But it seems he lacks the capacity to instruct a lawyer. I don’t think he gets a free pass on account of the lapse of time. But I do think he can only be tried if it can be a fair trail according to democratic standards of justice. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/11 "2017-03-14T02:50:46Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > But it seems he lacks the capacity to instruct a lawyer. > > I don’t think he gets a free pass on account of the lapse of time. But I do think he can only be tried if it can be a fair trail according to democratic standards of justice. Well I’d like to see some proof that he is mentally incapacitated 24/7. Just because he has Alzheimer’s doesn’t mean he has no ability to communicate. If he is totally incapacitated, I would agree that a trial would be unjust. ---
**Author:** ![ckalli1998](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ckalli1998](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ckalli1998)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/12 "2017-03-14T02:51:52Z")
I have no sympathy for that old fuck. There is no statute of limitations murder, especially not the mass murder of millions of Jews, which this prick knowingly aided and abetted. Throw the book at him. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/13 "2017-03-14T02:54:07Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Well I’d like to see some proof that he is mentally incapacitated 24/7. Just because he has Alzheimer’s doesn’t mean he has no ability to communicate. If he is totally incapacitated, I would agree that a trial would be unjust. The Germans seem to think so. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/14 "2017-03-14T02:55:59Z")
> [@ckalli1998](#): > > I have no sympathy for that old fuck. There is no statute of limitations murder, especially not the mass murder of millions of Jews, which this prick knowingly aided and abetted. Throw the book at him. Not exactly, he’s being accused of attacking civilians in a village in retaliation for some of the villagers killing his C/O. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/15 "2017-03-14T02:58:02Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > The Germans seem to think so. From the article: > [@](#): > > “It is a very common occurrence that elderly individuals facing prosecution for World War II crimes make every effort to look as sick and as infirm as possible,” he said. This is why those seeking his arrest are requesting he be re-evaluated by an independent medical team. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/16 "2017-03-14T03:20:57Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > This sort of pursuit might actually have the effect of making Nazis sympathetic. “Nazis…I hate these guys.” – Dr. Henry ‘Indiana’ Jones If melting the faces and exploring the heads of Nazi officers is good enough for Indiana Jones, it’s good enough for me. “No time for love, Dr. Jones!” Stranger ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/17 "2017-03-14T03:21:38Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Well I’d like to see some proof that he is mentally incapacitated 24/7. Just because he has Alzheimer’s doesn’t mean he has no ability to communicate. If he is totally incapacitated, I would agree that a trial would be unjust. You’re setting the bar too low. The ability to instruct a lawyer and participate in a trial requires rather mor than just not being “mentally incapacitated 24/7” and not having “no ability to communicate”. I’ve no objection to an independent medical assessment of his capacity to participate in a trial. My point is just that he should be subject to the same standards in this regard as anyone else who is accused of a crime. Prosecutions of 98-year old Alzheimer sufferers are rare; there’s a reason for this. > [@ckalli1998](#): > > I have no sympathy for that old fuck. There is no statute of limitations murder, especially not the mass murder of millions of Jews, which this prick knowingly aided and abetted. Throw the book at him. I’m all for throwing the book at him. But “the book” includes rules about what constitutes a fair trial, and I won’t razor those pages out of the book. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/18 "2017-03-14T03:25:16Z")
I don’t know how to formulate an answer to this that doesn’t contain the phrase “fuck him.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/19 "2017-03-14T03:27:47Z")
If he’s still alive to face charges then he should be put on trial. No statue of limitations for crimes like this. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125/20 "2017-03-14T03:39:51Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > If he’s still alive to face charges then he should be put on trial. No statue of limitations for crimes like this. I’ll go with that thought. And a tiny fuck him. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-is-too-far-in-persuing-nazis/782125.md?page=2)