It’s not quite a normal day in the otherwise average town of Itzehoe. Shortly after 10 a.m., the last Nazi trial took place there. Irmgard F., 97, was sentenced to two years in prison. She has been convicted of aiding and abetting murder in thousands of cases.

Irmgard F. was a typist in the Stutthof concentration camp in his youth. As secretary to the camp commandant, she helped keep the killing machine running smoothly. Now she had to answer for it. This verdict is historic for me.

One of the last such cases

First, it has to do with the fact that with Mrs. F., the last link in the long chain of perpetrators and accomplices of the mass murder of European Jews has been brought to justice. Irmgard F. is also the first civilian worker (the first non-SS) to be prosecuted in this way. Thus, German justice finally shows clearly that all those who participated in the operation of the camp system at the time of National Socialism will one day have to answer for it.

Secondly, thanks to the verdict, we will know more about Stutthof. These legal proceedings always involve thorough investigations. In the 14 months since the start of the trial, the case file has grown considerably. In the meantime, 14 witnesses have testified, eight of whom survived the Stutthof concentration camp. Some of them shared their stories publicly for the first time. And these are not legal documents, but important historical testimonies and discoveries.

Meaning for Survivors

Third, the process can have a healing effect, especially for survivors. Here, in a German court, their suffering and terrible experiences in the camp have been recognized. Some had to wait their whole lives for this. They personally spoke of the pain and doubt that tormented them for years until they were no longer sure that the camp nightmare was not a bad dream. But it’s finally over. Fortunately.

Ultimately, perhaps there is hope that this signal will lead to worldwide revival and serve as a warning. That the authors of Bucha in Ukraine, Mai Kadry in Ethiopia or Aleppo in Syria can no longer circulate in the world with complete impunity.

Many unanswered questions

Several times during the conversations I noticed doubts, which I also share to some extent. Questions arise: why only now, after 78 years? Why did even the belated investigation against Irmgard F. last another four years? What makes this old woman the symbol of a murderous system?

Why is this old woman’s case receiving worldwide publicity when the real culprit, her boss, camp commandant Paul Werner Hoppe, has been released after three years in prison? Since then, like many other Nazi criminals, he has led a peaceful existence in the new Federal Republic.

These questions can and should be asked. All in all, I feel that, despite the rather lenient punishment, justice has been served. And despite all the doubts, it is a beacon of hope in these dark days.

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