The last three German war criminals held in Breda prison will not be pardoned, Justice Minister Andreis Van Agt has told parliament. He referred to Ferdinand Ausderfuenten, Franz Fischer and Joseph Kotaella, all serving life sentences, whose pardon was sought by some Dutch circles earlier this year. Van Agt said they would be transferred to another prison because Breda will soon be closed to long-term convicts.
The three Nazis held top posts in the deportation offices in Amsterdam and The Hague during World War II and were responsible for the deportation and murder of thousands of Jews. Originally sentenced to death after the war, their sentences were later commuted to life imprisonment.
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