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| US deports Nazi war crimes suspect to Germany | US deports Nazi war crimes suspect to Germany |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A 95-year-old former Nazi concentration camp guard has been deported to Germany from the US after years of diplomatic wrangling over his status. | A 95-year-old former Nazi concentration camp guard has been deported to Germany from the US after years of diplomatic wrangling over his status. |
| Jakiw Palij, who lived in Queens, New York City, landed at Düsseldorf airport on Tuesday morning. | Jakiw Palij, who lived in Queens, New York City, landed at Düsseldorf airport on Tuesday morning. |
| Palij is accused of having lied to gain entry to the US almost 70 years ago, claiming he was a Polish farmer. Almost 20 years ago, the US authorities determined that he had been a member of the SS, the elite corps of the Nazi party, and had worked at the Trawniki concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. The camp trained soldiers to round up Jews for extermination. | Palij is accused of having lied to gain entry to the US almost 70 years ago, claiming he was a Polish farmer. Almost 20 years ago, the US authorities determined that he had been a member of the SS, the elite corps of the Nazi party, and had worked at the Trawniki concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. The camp trained soldiers to round up Jews for extermination. |
| His US citizenship, which he had been granted in 1957, was revoked in 2003. In 2005, a judge ordered his expulsion. | His US citizenship, which he had been granted in 1957, was revoked in 2003. In 2005, a judge ordered his expulsion. |
| But German authorities resisted taking him, saying the crimes he is alleged to have carried out took place on foreign soil. The US was unable to prosecute him for the same reason. Both Poland, and Ukraine, in which the part of Poland where Trawniki was located now lies, refused to take Palij, claiming it was Germany’s responsibility. | But German authorities resisted taking him, saying the crimes he is alleged to have carried out took place on foreign soil. The US was unable to prosecute him for the same reason. Both Poland, and Ukraine, in which the part of Poland where Trawniki was located now lies, refused to take Palij, claiming it was Germany’s responsibility. |
| For years, US diplomats have been leaning on the German government, claiming it had a moral responsibility to accept him. | For years, US diplomats have been leaning on the German government, claiming it had a moral responsibility to accept him. |
| Meanwhile, Palij continued living in the two-storey, red-brick home in Queens he shared with his wife, Maria, who is 86. His presence outraged the Jewish community, with frequent protests over the years that included chants such as: “Your neighbour is a Nazi!” | Meanwhile, Palij continued living in the two-storey, red-brick home in Queens he shared with his wife, Maria, who is 86. His presence outraged the Jewish community, with frequent protests over the years that included chants such as: “Your neighbour is a Nazi!” |
| Palij told justice department investigators who came to his door in 1993: “I would never have received my visa if I told the truth. Everyone lied.” | Palij told justice department investigators who came to his door in 1993: “I would never have received my visa if I told the truth. Everyone lied.” |
| The precedent for the deportation of Palij was set by the case of John Demjanjuk, who was deported from his adopted home in the US in 2009 and found guilty by a Munich court of taking part in the murders of 28,000 people in the Sobibór concentration camp in Poland. Demjanjuk died in Germany in 2012. | The precedent for the deportation of Palij was set by the case of John Demjanjuk, who was deported from his adopted home in the US in 2009 and found guilty by a Munich court of taking part in the murders of 28,000 people in the Sobibór concentration camp in Poland. Demjanjuk died in Germany in 2012. |
| Whether Palij will face trial in Germany is uncertain, as prosecutors have repeatedly insisted there is not enough evidence to bring charges against him. | Whether Palij will face trial in Germany is uncertain, as prosecutors have repeatedly insisted there is not enough evidence to bring charges against him. |
| The first suspected Nazi extradited by the US for a war crimes prosecution was convicted in 1973 in West Germany of multiple acts of murder while a guard at the Majdanek concentration camp. She chose inmates to send to the gas chamber and stomped an elderly woman to death. Released from jail in 1996 due to ill health, she died three years later age 79. | The first suspected Nazi extradited by the US for a war crimes prosecution was convicted in 1973 in West Germany of multiple acts of murder while a guard at the Majdanek concentration camp. She chose inmates to send to the gas chamber and stomped an elderly woman to death. Released from jail in 1996 due to ill health, she died three years later age 79. |
| The Ohio carworker was deported to Germany in 2009 and convicted in 2011 for aiding the deaths of more than 28,000 Jews as a guard at the Sobibor concentration camp. He died in a Bavarian nursing home in 2012 at age 91 while appealing. His conviction was unprecedented in German law as it was solely on the basis of serving as a camp guard, with no evidence he was involved in a specific killing. | The Ohio carworker was deported to Germany in 2009 and convicted in 2011 for aiding the deaths of more than 28,000 Jews as a guard at the Sobibor concentration camp. He died in a Bavarian nursing home in 2012 at age 91 while appealing. His conviction was unprecedented in German law as it was solely on the basis of serving as a camp guard, with no evidence he was involved in a specific killing. |
| Deported from the US to the Soviet Union in 1984 and executed by firing squad in 1987 at age 79. A Soviet court found the former Treblinka death camp guard guilty of treason, voluntarily joining the Nazis and participating in mass killings at the camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. Fedorenko fought a seven-year battle to remain in the US, where he had worked in a Connecticut factory before retiring to Miami Beach. | Deported from the US to the Soviet Union in 1984 and executed by firing squad in 1987 at age 79. A Soviet court found the former Treblinka death camp guard guilty of treason, voluntarily joining the Nazis and participating in mass killings at the camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. Fedorenko fought a seven-year battle to remain in the US, where he had worked in a Connecticut factory before retiring to Miami Beach. |
| The concentration camp chief was stripped of his US citizenship and sent to the Soviet Union in 1987, where he had been convicted in absentia over the deaths of 12,000 people at the Tartu concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Estonia. Investigators said he ordered guards to fire on prisoners knelt beside ditches that became their graves. He died of heart failure before he could face a firing squad. | The concentration camp chief was stripped of his US citizenship and sent to the Soviet Union in 1987, where he had been convicted in absentia over the deaths of 12,000 people at the Tartu concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Estonia. Investigators said he ordered guards to fire on prisoners knelt beside ditches that became their graves. He died of heart failure before he could face a firing squad. |
| The Nazi rocket scientist was brought to the US after the war and played a role in the Apollo moon landings, for which Nasa awarded him a distinguished service medal. Decades later he was accused of working slave labourers to death in V-2 factories. He made settlement with the US in 1984, renouncing his citizenship and moving to West Germany, where he died in 1996 age 89. | The Nazi rocket scientist was brought to the US after the war and played a role in the Apollo moon landings, for which Nasa awarded him a distinguished service medal. Decades later he was accused of working slave labourers to death in V-2 factories. He made settlement with the US in 1984, renouncing his citizenship and moving to West Germany, where he died in 1996 age 89. |
| The former US archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox church, relinquished his US citizenship in 1980 after admitting he lied to immigration authorities to conceal pro-Nazi activities and moved to Portugal, where he died in 1987 age 72. Trifa was an ardent Nazi supporter who made anti-Jewish speeches as a member of a Romanian fascist group. | The former US archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox church, relinquished his US citizenship in 1980 after admitting he lied to immigration authorities to conceal pro-Nazi activities and moved to Portugal, where he died in 1987 age 72. Trifa was an ardent Nazi supporter who made anti-Jewish speeches as a member of a Romanian fascist group. |
| Associated Press | Associated Press |
| According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Palij, whose arrival took place in secrecy, was taken by a Red Cross ambulance to a retirement home outside Münster, in western Germany. Pictures showed a bearded man in a cap, a bag over his left shoulder, walking unaided down the steps of the Gulfstream III aeroplane that brought him from New Jersey to Düsseldorf, flanked by two care attendants. | According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Palij, whose arrival took place in secrecy, was taken by a Red Cross ambulance to a retirement home outside Münster, in western Germany. Pictures showed a bearded man in a cap, a bag over his left shoulder, walking unaided down the steps of the Gulfstream III aeroplane that brought him from New Jersey to Düsseldorf, flanked by two care attendants. |
| Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, told the tabloid Bild that Germany had recognised its obligation to accept Palij. | Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, told the tabloid Bild that Germany had recognised its obligation to accept Palij. |
| “There is no cut-off point for historical responsibility. To do justice to the memory of Nazi-era atrocities means to fight against antisemitism, discrimination and racism. And it means standing up to our moral obligations on behalf of the victims and successive generations. The guilt of those who carried out these crimes in Germany’s name will never elapse. The pain continues to be deep,” he said in a statement to the paper. | “There is no cut-off point for historical responsibility. To do justice to the memory of Nazi-era atrocities means to fight against antisemitism, discrimination and racism. And it means standing up to our moral obligations on behalf of the victims and successive generations. The guilt of those who carried out these crimes in Germany’s name will never elapse. The pain continues to be deep,” he said in a statement to the paper. |
| A spokesman for the foreign ministry told the newspaper Germany had come under increasing pressure to facilitate Palij’s arrival. “The USA has repeatedly and emphatically demanded that Germany admit Palij. The US administration, senators, members of congress and representatives of Jewish communities in the US stress that people who have served in the rogue regime of the Nazis should not be able to spend their twilight years unchallenged in the country of their choice, the US.” | A spokesman for the foreign ministry told the newspaper Germany had come under increasing pressure to facilitate Palij’s arrival. “The USA has repeatedly and emphatically demanded that Germany admit Palij. The US administration, senators, members of congress and representatives of Jewish communities in the US stress that people who have served in the rogue regime of the Nazis should not be able to spend their twilight years unchallenged in the country of their choice, the US.” |
| Last September, all 29 members of New York’s congressional delegation signed a letter urging the state department to follow through on the deportation. | Last September, all 29 members of New York’s congressional delegation signed a letter urging the state department to follow through on the deportation. |
| The deportation came after weeks of diplomatic negotiations, which the White House said President Donald Trump had made a priority. | The deportation came after weeks of diplomatic negotiations, which the White House said President Donald Trump had made a priority. |
| A White House press statement read: “Through extensive negotiations, President Trump and his team secured Palij’s deportation to Germany and advanced the United States’ collaborative efforts with a key European ally.” | A White House press statement read: “Through extensive negotiations, President Trump and his team secured Palij’s deportation to Germany and advanced the United States’ collaborative efforts with a key European ally.” |
| The US justice department has previously referred to Palij as the “last adjudicated Nazi criminal in the United States”. | The US justice department has previously referred to Palij as the “last adjudicated Nazi criminal in the United States”. |
| White House press secretary Sarah Sanders claimed credit for the deportation for Trump. | |
| “For many years a Nazi forced labor camp guard had been living in NY - a terrible injustice,” she tweeted. “Past Administrations failed to deport him. Today, @realDonaldTrump got the job done! ICE [US Immigration and Customs Enforcement] has removed this despicable Nazi from our great country.” | |
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| Poland | Poland |
| Ukraine | Ukraine |
| Second world war | Second world war |
| Europe | Europe |
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