The local newspaper Die Zeit today published an appeal for “equal rights” for former members of the Waffen S.S., Hitler’s elite storm troop organization.
The newspaper declared that “many young Germans not guilty of any crimes as individuals, and often recruited into the Waffen S.S. against their wises, are today branded with the stigma of having belonged to a criminal organization.” Die Zeit pleads that members of the corps are “entitled to equal rights in the state like any other individual whose guilt has not been established.”
Two editors of the Hamburg illustrated paper. “Stern,” have been placed on trial are on charges of publishing a defamatory article on the Jews.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
