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Prosecutors seek only 6-year sentence for ex-Auschwitz guard

Prosecutors in Germany are seeking only a six-year prison sentence for 94-year-old Reinhold Hanning, a former Auschwitz death camp guard being tried in Germany as an accessory to murder.

By: AP
Reinhold Hanning

Reinhold Hanning during his days in the SS. (Courtesy)

Prosecutor Andreas Brendel told the Detmold state court in closing arguments Friday that 94-year-old Reinhold Hanning was guilty of being an accessory to murder in at least 100,000 cases, news agency dpa reported. He said: “The defendant played a part in the camp’s purpose of annihilation.”

The former SS sergeant last month admitted serving as an Auschwitz guard. He said he was ashamed that although he was aware Jews were being gassed and their corpses burned, he did nothing to try to stop it.

Closing arguments from lawyers for survivors who joined the trial as co-plaintiffs are expected to start next week, followed by the defense.