[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by CCIP

Another important thing to point out is that being a "regular prison guard" or "military prison guard" is grossly inaccurate for camps which, even when not designed to exterminate, contained thousands upon thousands of civilians who did not commit any crimes nor participated in any combat. So even if deaths were not a factor, I would consider being accessory to their imprisonment to be a very severe crime indeed.

Originally Posted by CCIP

I don't doubt that circumstances may well have weighed heavily on Demjanjuk's choice to enlist rather than share the fate of millions of Soviet POWs executed in the very camps. However no matter how hard, it was still a choice, and one doesn't simply end up in that very specific type of SS unit by circumstances alone. So the fact is, there are repercussions to any choice one consciously makes. And he has to face up to them just like everyone else. A mild prison sentence handed to you at the end of your life is a far cry from what he might've faced if he actually was caught on the spot, and would've still deserved.

Very good points. I was kind of wishy washy on my feelings on this when I first heard about this event. You've convinced me.