The longest war crimes trial ever held in West Germany may be nearing its end. The Duesseldorf court where nine former SS officials have been on trial for more than five years on charges of complicity in the murders of 250,000 inmates of the Maidanek death camp, is expected to hear the summations by prosecution and defense some time next month. But first, the judges and attorneys will fly to Warsaw on Jan. 5 to hear testimony from the final witnesses. Responsibility for prolonging the trial rests with the defense lawyers. Although it was to have wound up by the end of this month, they submitted a flood of new petitions and invited additional witnesses.
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