Nazi Massacre Suspects May Face Trial

Nazi Massacre Suspects May Face Trial

By SONJA DECHIAN | Published: DECEMBER 7, 2011

German authorities have raided the homes of six men suspected of taking part in a massacre in a French village almost 70 years ago.

The six suspects are believed to have been part of an SS group responsible for the Oradour massacre in 1944, in which 642 people were killed. Now aged 85 or 86, the men were 18 or 19 at the time of the massacre. Two have denied participation, while the others appear to be medically unfit for questioning. It is known that the men were part of the 3rd Company of the 1st Battalion of the ‘Der Fuehrer’ Regiment of the SS’s ‘Das Reich’ Division.

The inquiry was prompted by archivists who uncovered evidence about the massacre in the files of the pre-1990 communist secret police, the Stasi.

Prosecutors said no significant evidence was uncovered in the raids, but they are continuing their search for evidence regarding the role the men played in the massacre. Evidence of direct participation or planning is necessary before charges of murder or accessory to murder can be laid.