Franz Stangl, the former commandant of the Treblinka death camp, claimed in court today that he “never laid a hand on a Jew” and only “did my duty in accordance with laws.” Stangl, charged with responsibility for the murder of a half million Jews, made his statement in an appeal to the court “not for mercy but for understanding.” A verdict is expected Friday. Steel said “It is true that terrible things happened at Treblinka but I was sent to this evil place under a pretext and I could not get away.”
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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.