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Former Nazis should indeed be prosecuted if there is enough evidence of their wrongdoing to stand up in Court. It is always open to a Judge to dismiss a case if the evidence is unsatisfactory. A jury can acquit if they are unpersuaded of guilt, or unwilling to see a person convicted, due to mitigating circumstances. That is the beauty of the jury system.

To argue that a former Nazi should not be prosecuted once 'enough' time has gone past, provided he has lived a good life since 1945, has serious implications. It suggests that some heinous crimes have a sort of 'shelf life' and after a while they no longer count. It suggests that atrocities can be atoned for simply by 'being a regular guy' after the event.

The victims of the Nazis cry out for justice even now. Germany was never fully 'de-Nazified' at the end of World War Two because of the onset of the Cold War. Although the top Nazis were tried at Nuremburg, many lesser ones escaped the net. Most are now dead. The remaining few can not be ignored if they come to the authorities' attention. We really do not want to send the message, 'Hey, from 2007 that doesn't look so bad.'

Most Germans were not members of the Nazi Party, of course. Membership was compulsory for some occupations, such as school teaching, so not all Nazis necessarily went on to commit war crimes. Those who did though should answer for their actions. Living a good life subsequently is no defense. There should be no compromise with Nazism.

Learn more about this author, Mark Hopkins.
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