New York
06 April 2009
Ronald S. Lauder: "Duty to bring Nazi war criminals to justice"
The president of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) welcomed a decision by a judge in Virginia that clears the way for the deportation to Germany of the suspected Nazi war criminal John Demjanjuk, where he is to stand trial. Ukrainian-born Demjanjuk, 89, has been charged by German prosecutors with 29,000 counts of accessory to murder Jews in the Sobibor Nazi death camp during World War II. “The allegations against Demjanjuk are horrendous, and he must be put on trial with no further delay. We are glad that the judge in Virginia has taken the decision not to let this issue drag on forever, and we would hope that Demjanjuk can be sent to Germany as soon as possible to stand trial in Munich,” Ronald S. Lauder declared.
“Demjanjuk may be old and frail, but so are many Holocaust survivors whose lives were destroyed by the likes of him. They rightly demand justice from those who murdered their loved ones 65 years ago. Countries have a duty to bring mass murderers and their accomplices to justice. There are no excuses for any further delay in this case. No Nazi war criminal still alive should feel safe anywhere in the world,” Lauder said.
American courts revoked Demjanjuk’s US citizenship twice because he was found lying about, and concealing, his service in Nazi death camps. He was expected to be deported to Germany on Monday but last Friday, a US court granted him a reprieve of deportation.
The World Jewish Congress is the international organization representing Jewish communities in 92 countries. Founded in Geneva in 1936, the WJC serves as the diplomatic arm of the Jewish people to governments and international organizations. The WJC has worked with the US and other countries for more than thirty years to bring Nazi war criminals to justice.
