95-year-old man to go on trial in Germany over alleged role at Auschwitz

A 95-year-old man is to go on trial next month on 3,681 counts of accessory to murder for allegedly serving in the Nazis’ Auschwitz death camp.

Hubert Zafke is accused of working as a medic in an SS hospital in Auschwitz. Prosecutors argue that the former SS sergeant helped the death camp function in that role.

An appeals court ruled in December that he was fit for trial, although the Neubrandenburg state court said on Monday that judges will have to assess whether he needs special accommodation when his trial opens on February 29.

Mr Zafke’s attorney insists his client did nothing criminal at Auschwitz.

Another former SS man, 94-year-old Reinhold Hanning, is going on trial in Detmold on February 11 on accusations he served as an Auschwitz guard from 1943 to 1944.