Fourteen members of a German police unit accused of the mass murder of Jews in the Bialystok ghetto in 1941, went on trial in Wuppertal today.
They are charged with having set fire to the main synagogue in the Polish city on June 27, 1941, after forcing at least 800 Jews into the building. An estimated 2,000 Jews were burned alive when the synagogue was drenched with benzine and ignited with hand grenades. Despite the gravity of the charges, none of the accused is in custody. Among them are Hans Behrens, 72, a former high police official now receiving a pension; Heinrich Schneider, 53, a former police lieutenant now a businessman in Wuppertal; Police Commissar Rolf Joachim Buchs; and Wilhelm Schaffraph, 65. Originally there were 24 accused but nine died and one committed suicide.
Only two Jewish witnesses to the crime survive, a fireman and a doctor. Both live in Israel and are coming to Wuppertal to testify. Surviving members of the police battalion, No, 309. have also been ordered to testify.
The prosecution said that the 175-page indictment shows that the accused had displayed “abnormal delight” in their deed.
As the Year Turns, Support the Journalism You Trust. JTA covers the stories shaping Jewish life around the world — with the depth this moment calls for. As you reflect on the year ahead, consider a gift that keeps independent Jewish journalism strong.
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.
