A second request to pardon three Nazi war criminals serving life sentences for the deportation and deaths of 100,000 Dutch Jews during World War II was rejected today by the Netherlands Minister of Justice, Dr. Carel Polak.
The requests introduced in the Netherlands Parliament were made on behalf of Joseph Koyalla, 58, former head of the Amersfoort concentration camp and slayer of many of its inmates; Franz Fischer, 64, who took part in the killing of 12,000 Jews; and Heinz Aus Der Fuenten, 67, former SS officer, who headed the Amsterdam branch of Adolf Eichmann’s transportation operation. All are now incarcerated in Breda prison.
Release of the Nazis has been sought repeatedly in recent years but is vehemently opposed by a majority of the Dutch people and by Jewish groups. Nevertheless, one Nazi prisoner, Willy Lages, 64, former chief of the German security police in the Netherlands, was released for health reasons and now lives in the Harz Mountains in West Germany.
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.